


Throw The Damn Ball or So Help Me

by YourShadow



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Awkward Levi, Dog!Eren, Erwin laughing in the background, Jean Being An Asshole, Levi has never owned a dog, M/M, Military Police being assholes, Owner!Levi, building toward eruriren, dog au, heat - Freeform, non-binary Hange, overly affectionate Eren, shifters as dogs, slight jean/eren - Freeform, slight mikasa/annie, so sit back and buckle up, then sexy times, who decided to give Levi a dog but wasn't thinking about the consequences, you know what a lot happens
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-06-21
Updated: 2016-03-14
Packaged: 2018-02-05 12:56:47
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 15
Words: 44,214
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1819270
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/YourShadow/pseuds/YourShadow
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hanji gives Levi a dog for his birthday. The only problem is Levi has never owned a dog in his life and puppy Eren is rather rambunctious. Chaos ensues.</p><p>(Updates will probably be slow but worth it, trust me. Maybe.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Puppy Love

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I don’t own dog AUs or Attack on Titan. However, this particular AoT dog AU belongs to me, with my own original ideas (of what dog each character is, their behavior, roles, etc). Except for Eren being a German Shepherd because it’s all over the place apparently.
> 
> I have no idea what I’m doing but bear with me. I had another dream. Just to be clear, Eren (and the others) isn’t a full dog, but a humanoid with dog ears and a tail, with dog-like behavior.

“Um, Hanji, what is this?” Levi blinked at the package in front of him. It looked badly wrapped and he swore it was _moving_.

“You’re supposed to open it and find out!” Hanji chirped, excited.

“I don’t like celebrating birthdays for this exact reason.” Levi announced sullenly, eyeing the package with wary apprehension.

Erwin sighed beside him. They were sitting on the couch staring at the large box Hanji dragged in. Other noteworthy items of celebration included a cone-shaped hat forcibly fixated to the top of Levi’s head, some streamers, a banner, and balloons that were already popped. They already ate some of the cake.

The box wiggled and a whine came from within.

“Okay that time I _know_ it moved.” Levi said, scooting away from the box. “Hanji what the hell did you do?”

“Just open it, dear.” Erwin ordered in a weary tone. His boyfriend was such a drama king sometimes. Levi leaned forward, lip curled in disdain. He knew what it was. Or at least he thought he did. There was no other explanation.

Hanji probably put a baby in there to surprise Levi and Erwin, who probably shouldn’t talk about children around the excitable scientist. Taking a deep breath, he decided to find out if his theory was correct.

He tentatively grasped one edge of the ribbon holding the entire package together. Slowly pulling on the string, his present unraveled.

He screamed because he didn’t expect a puppy to jump out and attach itself to his face, licking and crawling all over him.

“Hanji what the hell?!” Levi shrieked, pulling the writhing mass away from him to get a better look. Erwin and said gift giver were laughing at the reaction.

“It’s a German Shepherd! Isn’t he cute~?”

The puppy in his arms was cute, he had to admit. He had the most beautiful green eyes, the first thing he noticed besides the wet, slobbery tongue. Dark brown, fluffy, floppy ears hung from his head, with a tinge of lighter brown around the edges and base. A similarly colored tail beat against the couch vigorously, showing the pet’s happiness. At least Hanji had the decency to put him in some overalls instead of taking the term “birthday suit” literally.

Levi sighed. “Hange, this is sweet, but I’m no good at keeping pets.” (1)

“Oh you’ll do fine!”

“Yeah, I think he’s a nice addition to the place.” Erwin added, smiling. “What are you going to call him?”

“I already named him Jaeger!” Hanji exclaimed. The puppy yipped in agreement.

“That’s not fair. If he’s _my_ pet then why can’t I name him?” Sighs and eye-rolls were his response. “Hmmm…what about…Eren? Eren Jaeger?”

The puppy barked, light and happy, burrowing his face into Levi’s neck.

“Aw, he likes you!”

“Aren’t you going to say thanks?” Erwin whispered.

“Yeah, thanks for the dog…shitty glasses.” Levi grumbled. Eren started to lick his face, tail wagging. “Ack! Hey! Make it stop! Gross!” Levi maneuvered his face out of the puppy’s grasp, who simply tilted his head to look at him in confusion.

“Don’t expect me to do everything for you.” Erwin told him.

“Me neither! This is your responsibility now!” Hanji added.

“Why do you sound like my parents?” Levi asked, examining the latest member of their group. Eren’s skin was a tan color, and although he was a puppy he looked to be a teenager in human years. His ears practically blended in with his hair.

And those eyes. Levi couldn’t stop looking into them.

“Well, I gotta go.” Erwin commented, glancing at his watch.

“What? But you just got here. What about the rest of the stuff?” Levi asked, turning his attention to his boyfriend.

“I’m sorry, I’m working a late shift tonight. Besides, the two of you need to bond.” The blond said as he stood, running his hands through Levi’s hair with a warm smile.

“Erwin is right. We’ll do more tomorrow or something. Just make sure little Eren doesn’t get into the cake!” Hanji replied, also standing to leave.

“You can’t just leave me here! What am I supposed to do with this?” Levi called after them, holding up Eren by the armpits for emphasis. The puppy turned his head to stare after Hanji and Erin, tail wagging slowly.

“The rest of his stuff is in the box! I packed everything you’ll need!” Hanji called back.

“Call me if you need anything!” Erwin waved.

“I need you _now_! Come back and help me!” Levi yelled, a squirming puppy in his lap. When he heard the door close he laid his head back on the couch and sighed. It was quiet in his apartment for a few minutes.

Eren bumped his head against Levi’s chest, letting out a small confused whine. When Levi looked down, he picked Eren up again, staring at him. Eren titled his head to the side, tail wagging slightly in hopes of a positive response.

“Well…shit.”

***

_Congratulations on your new puppy! Please remember that your puppy is more than just an animal. They have needs just like you, even though they behave differently. Here are some tips on how to keep your new puppy happy and healthy!_

_Make sure your puppy eats enough and is on the proper diet for the breed._

_Toys are always a good way to keep your puppy occupied, so keep plenty around and be sure to take time to play!_

_When your puppy gets tired, make sure it has a bed to sleep on. There are a variety of dog bends specially designed for each breed. They can also sleep on regular beds!_

_Puppies can get dirty, so make sure you clean your pet on a regular basis!_

_Take your pet to the vet for check-ups often! Dogs need to be checked for worms as well as human diseases, so take them to a doctor who specializes in both._

***

“Alright, goodnight Eren.” Levi yawned as he crawled into bed. After going through the supplies Hanji left for him in the puppy box, Levi made sure everything was set up properly. Or his version of properly. Food and water bowls were in the kitchen, where Levi attempted to feed Eren for about an hour. The dog just sat on the floor, looking at him with that adorable yet confused expression, so Levi assumed Hanji fed him before coming over.

He also showed Eren where the bathroom was. Again with the staring.

“You’re potty trained…right?” Levi asked. Eren blinked. “Not gonna talk? Okay…”

There were toys, which Eren was happy to play with while Levi cleaned the place up, grumbling to himself. He had to admit the dog was cute, but he had no idea what he was doing. Eren liked attention. He wanted Levi to play with him using the toys. He wasn’t content to gnaw on the tennis ball. He wanted Levi to _throw it_.

By the end of the day, Levi was exhausted. He fell across his bed, laying for a moment as his body relaxed, then slid under the covers. Eren stood by the door. The lamplight went off, and Levi closed his eyes.

After a few minutes, Levi felt the mattress dip and heard the sheets rustle. Blinking, he turned the lamp on to come face-to-face with Eren. The puppy was attempting to snuggle up to him.

“Hey, no, there’s a dog bed over there. That’s where you sleep.” Levi said, pointing to the white fluffy pad next to the door. Eren glanced from him to the dog bed. Levi groaned, getting up and gesturing for Eren to follow, who did so happily. They walked over to the bed and Levi pointed. “See? You sleep here.”

Eren cocked his head to the side and sat down, watching Levi as he trudged back to his bed and got settled again. The lamp went off. Levi soon fell asleep.

In the middle of the night, Levi was awoken by a shuffling sound. Alarmed, he sat up to see Eren turning in circles, attempting to get comfortable as he curled up on the dog bed that he dragged onto his mattress. The _slump_ and rocking of the puppy collapsing onto his space had Levi sliding a hand onto his face.

***

“Okay Eren, time for a bath.”

Several days passed since Levi received his puppy. It was awkward because despite the helpful manual Hanji provided, he still felt like he was doing everything wrong.

Especially since Eren was staring at him like that again. The confused head tilt, finger in his mouth, Eren made no attempt to get into the tub full of water.

“Come on, hop in.” He urged, patting the side of the tub. Eren looked wary. “What, is it too hot?” Levi dipped his hand in the water, then splashed some at Eren who yipped and ran for the door. “Hey wait!” Levi grabbed him. “What, did Hanji do weird experiments with water?” Eren whined. Levi sighed.

“Alright, we’ll take it slow. You gotta take your clothes off though. You…know how to do that, right?” Levi replied tentatively. Shit this was awkward. Levi felt like he was dealing with a baby…who happened to be in a teenager’s body.

Eren blinked, looking down at his shirt. Hanji forgot to provide Eren with other clothes besides overalls. Levi took him shopping and found some outfits Eren liked to wear and was comfortable in. The current outfit was the last clean pair and Levi was determined to keep it that way. Eren was also caked in dirt and mud from running around outside.

After a moment, Eren lifted his shirt. Levi flicked his eyes to Eren’s pants, and the dog began to unzip. Levi looked away out of courtesy. Eren leaned down, curious, tail wagging slowly. Levi pointed to the water. When Eren hesitated, Levi took his hand—rough on the palm and equipped with claws—and gently dipped it in the water.

“See? No big deal.” Eren blinked at him, then eased into the tub. “Okay, here’s the shampoo for your hair, and the soap for…the rest of you. I’ll be…in the living room or something.”

He turned to walk away but heard Eren whine. The dog’s chin was laid against the rim of the tub, tail rising out of the water.

“Don’t tell me you can’t wash yourself.”

Eren whined again.

Levi trudged back to the tub, squirting some shampoo in his hand and rubbing it into Eren’s hair. The dog smiled, eyes closed, and made a sound of enjoyment. Levi gently pushed the dog’s head underwater to rinse the shampoo out.

“Um…your tail too.” Levi muttered. Eren arched his back so Levi could reach his tail, who tried not to focus on the ass beneath the appendage. Lathering the shampoo into Eren’s tail, he realized the small of his back right above was sensitive by the way Eren wiggled and yipped.

“Next time, you’re washing yourself.” Levi muttered, embarrassed. He took the soap and looked at Eren, who smiled and waited. “No way.” He shoved the soap into Eren’s hands and crossed his arms. “You need to learn. Didn’t Hanj teach you?” Eren’s ears flopped down as he shook his head, giving a pathetic expression. “I’m not falling for that.”

_And I’m not running my hands all over you. Nope. Not gonna happen._

Eren lathered the soap in his hands and stood so suddenly Levi flailed from his seat on the toilet. He turned away as Eren scrubbed himself, then dunked enthusiastically to splash the entire room. Giggling, the puppy seemed amused by Levi’s scowl, especially when he shook himself.

“I’ll get you a loofah or something for next time.”

***

A few days later, Levi was taking a shower. Nothing unusual, it was just his normal morning routine. What made it different was the fact that Eren pushed the door open, tail wagging and ear perked up. He let out a light bark, as if he found what he was looking for, and walked further into the bathroom, shedding his clothes.

“Eren! I’m trying to take a shower here, what are you doing? Go outside and close the door!” Levi scolded him, using the shower curtain to hide from the dog.

Eren just smiled, yipped again, and stepped into the shower.

“No Eren! Bad!” Levi admonished, although the shock and embarrassment in his voice hid any kind of anger, so the dog ignored him. Levi sighed. “Fine, you need another wash anyway.” He grabbed the shampoo bottle and squirted some into his hand.

Eren stood happily as Levi rubbed the shampoo into his hair. He seemed to like the attention and the way Levi was touching him, because he kept leaning closer, eyes closed and serene smile on his face.

Levi wasn’t going to think about the both of them being naked in the shower. He just happened to have a weird puppy, who was very affectionate. Eren still refused to sleep on his dog bed. Only on Levi’s bed. He woke up cuddling the puppy, who had the habit of whining or yipping in his sleep.

When he was pushed under the spray, the dog shook his head and Levi made a disappointed sound, jerking back and scowling. Then Eren was grabbing the shampoo bottle and attempting to rub it in Levi’s hair.

“No, I already put that in my hair…hey, stop!” Levi gave up after a moment, dropping his hands and letting the dog wash his hair. In turn, he took the opportunity to put some of the shampoo on Eren’s tail, since it got dirty as much as the rest of him. Eren stepped closer again, then reached down to Levi’s ass. “Woah, woah!” Levi shrieked, backing up and nearly slipping.

Eren’s ears were flopped down, head tilted, a sad look in his eyes. He whimpered a bit, confused, hands reaching out to him.

“Eren, I don’t have a tail like you do.” Levi told him with a sigh. Eren looked even more confused…and curious. He angled his head, trying to peer around to see if Levi was telling the truth. “Hey! Stop checking me out! Silly mutt.”

Eren let out an offended yip, but Levi was more worried about the dog trying to touch him again. “You’re doing the rest by yourself.” Levi muttered, ducking out of the shower. Eren whined, looking pitiful under the water. He didn’t seem to understand what was wrong, and why Levi was acting so strange. “What? You can wash yourself. I showed you how.”

Eren made to step out of the shower, trying to follow his owner. Levi gave up and pushed him lightly back, stepping back in, muttering ‘just one more time’ as he grabbed a sponge brush and lathered it with soap. He wasn’t going to use his hands again. Somehow it made him feel weird…and dirty. Why did Hanji have to give him a dog?

Eren seemed happier, tail wagging, content to use his hands on Levi. His owner attempted to ignore how strange it felt. He definitely was _not_ thinking about the shower sex he had with Erwin.

He knew he was blushing. He felt awkward and embarrassed and he was going to yell at Hanji for throwing this on him without any preparation. That manual was only so helpful. It didn’t tell you what to do if your dog didn’t know about personal boundaries, or was too touchy-feely. Somehow he didn’t think it was normal.

When they got out of the shower, Levi grabbed a towel off the rack and wrapped it around himself, rummaging in the cabinet for another one to use on Eren. When he turned, however, he saw the door wide open and Eren running naked through the house.

“Oi! Get back here, brat! Don’t try to air dry or you’ll just get dirty again!” Levi called after him.

Yes, he was definitely going to strangle Hanji for this. He needed Erwin to help him out or he would go insane.

***

“I swear he’s not normal.” Levi muttered on the phone. After wrangling his dog and getting him into some clean clothes, he called the scientist to yell about untimely birthday gifts.

 _“You’re probably just making it worse.”_ Hanji countered. _“Did you read the manual? It explains everything.”_

“The hell it does!” Levi swore, glancing around to see if the Jaeger pup was in ear-shot. “He won’t sleep in his dog bed. He won’t take a bath by himself. He doesn’t even like wearing clothes half the time. He jumps on me when I get home. Full on jumping on me and not letting go. What the fuck am I supposed to do with that?” he exclaimed.

_“He just likes you, that’s all. It’s a good thing.”_

“Hange, he licks my face a lot.”

_“He’s a dog! That’s what dogs do!”_

“Really? And they lay across your lap when you’re trying to watch TV? Cuddle in bed? Walk in on you when you’re trying to take a shit?”

He heard Hanji laughing on the other side of the phone. _“I don’t see what the problem is. All dogs do that.”_

Just as Levi was about to respond Eren strode in, eyes searching until they fell on their owner. He gave a happy bark and jumped onto the couch where Levi was sitting, crawling across his lap and slumping down on his back, hands curled like paws above his chest.

“Okay now he’s doing this weird thing where he’s lying on my lap and looking at me funny.”

 _“He wants you to pet his belly.”_ Hanji told him.

“Why?”

_“Have you seriously never had a dog before? HOW DID YOU LIVE?”_

“PEACEFULLY!” Levi roared into the phone. Eren yelped, jumping and skittering away to hide behind the couch. “Aw shit, I just scared him.”

_“You bastard. I pissed my pants with that yell.”_

“That’s what you get for constantly yelling in my ear, shitty glasses.” Levi grumbled. “Okay how do I fix it?”

Hanji sighed over the phone. _“Coax him back. Speak softly, look kind.”_

“Hey, Eren? Come here boy.” He cooed, snapping his finger as he leaned around the couch. Eren was hunched over, unmoving, eyes big and scared. “Hey, I’m not gonna hurt ya. Sorry for yelling. I’m not mad.”

 _“Tell him he’s a good dog.”_ Hanji instructed.

“You’re a good dog. Yeah. Good boy.”

_“Now tell him he’s a cutie.”_

“You’re a little cutie, aren’t you? Yes you are!” Levi’s voice was rising to a high-pitch, as if talking to a baby. Eren smiled, tail wagging again, and he crawled closer.

_“Now tell him you’re a dumbass who needs a spanking.”_

“I’m just a dumba—hey! I’m not saying that!” Levi looked scandalized and his change in voice scared Eren again, who scooted back and whimpered. “Ack, you made me do it again. I’ll call you back.”

 _“Well I mean you_ are _a dumbass—,”_ Hanji was cut off as Levi hung up.

“Okay, come on. I wasn’t yelling at you. Don’t be scared, I won’t hurt you. C’mere, Eren. Please?” Levi cooed again, getting on his hands and knees behind the couch. Eren looked wary, scared, but still trusting. He inched closer. “Good boy. You’re doing so well. Come on, little closer.”

Eren crawled closer until Levi was able to reach him. Slightly flinching away, the dog was surprised to feel Levi’s hand in his hair. Petting him, running his fingers through the dog’s hair and scratching behind his ears, made Eren smile and lunge forward, tackling Levi.

He started licking Levi, who was on his back and groaning, while Eren’s tail wagged. He gave a happy bark.

“Yes. Good boy. Stop licking me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: Yeah, not sure how these dog things quite go, but I do know a thing or two about dogs (I have several) so Eren may act more dog-like than human. I’ll try to maintain a balance.  
> (1) Hange as in the nickname based on another way to say the name. Idk.


	2. Into the Green

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Erwin and Eren bond, Levi takes his dog to the vet, and the doctor has some surprising news

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: Still nope on the own.
> 
> Because people were asking, here are some examples of Eren as a dog: http://erenxlevi.co.vu/post/74528430440 and http://yaoiaritayaoi.tumblr.com/post/55616997750/ooow

“So, how’s it going?”

Erwin was standing in the doorway, a small smile tugging on his lips. Levi scowled at him, but couldn’t stay mad for long. He missed his huge ass boyfriend.

“This puppy is exhausting.”

Eren walked into the living room then, yipping and running toward the door to tackle Erwin. Levi tried to stop him, yelling out random variations of ‘holy shit slow your roll Eren!’ but the puppy just pushed past him to jump into Erwin’s arms, licking his face happily.

Erwin laughed, easily holding Eren and letting him lick his face without complaint. “He seems really happy! Guess you haven’t neglected him so far.” Erwin joked.

“Eren, get down!” Levi chastised, trying to pull the dog off. Eren whined, clinging to Erwin. Levi sighed. “Looks like he missed you.”

“Does he react the same way when you get home?” Erwin asked, coming in and shutting the door, Eren still wrapped around him and nuzzling into his neck.

“Yes.” Levi mumbled begrudgingly. They flopped down on the couch. “Eren, go play with something.” The puppy gave him his confused expression. “I wanna spend time with my boyfriend!” Levi whined. He noticed just the smallest expression of amusement on the dog’s face before he jumped off the couch and ran out of the room.

Erwin was grinning at him, dog slobber still on his face and neck. “Ugh, go clean yourself up.”

“You don’t want a kiss?” Erwin leered, leaning close as if to give the promised smooch. Levi tried to push his boyfriend back, ending up sprawled across the couch with Erwin’s lips getting closer.

“Ewwww your face is still wet c’mon!”

Erwin rolled his eyes, leaning back and standing. Levi watched as he walked into the kitchen, listening to the spray of water from the sink. Levi stood, joining him in the kitchen and wrapping his arms around Erwin’s waist. Resting his head on his boyfriend’s back, Levi breathed deep the scent of the man he loved, closing his eyes and relaxing.

“You look like hell.” Erwin spoke up, quietly.

“Thanks.” Levi grumbled.

“Not sleeping?”

“You know I can’t sleep without you.” Levi smirked.

Erwin turned, drying his face with a cloth. Raising his eyebrows, he waited for permission to kiss the shorter man who had dark circles underneath his eyes. Levi stood on his tiptoes and Erwin bent down to close the distance.

“You smell like dog.” Erwin said with a chuckle.

“Blame the brat. He won’t leave me alone and now he _insists_ on showering with me.”

“Really? That seems…odd.”

“Yeah, well Hanji didn’t think so.”

“Hanji is even more odd, you know that.”

“I know, that idiot didn’t think about whether I actually had experience raising a pet before dumping one on me.” Levi growled.

Erwin lifted his chin with a finger. “Hey, don’t speak like that, he could hear you.” Levi didn’t look like he cared. “Has he said anything to you yet? I know you said he hasn’t tried speaking last time we were on the phone.”

“Still nothing. He just barks and yips and wags his tail. I think I have a sense of his language based on body movements and behavior. He gives me this confused expression a lot, or just stares at me when he doesn’t know what to do. But I _know_ he can understand me. Maybe he’s…different?”

“Knowing Hanji, that dog is probably a product of experimentation.”

“I hope not. I mean, I feel kinda bad if Eren had to undergo that stuff. Maybe we should do a raid on Hanji’s lab one day.”

“Good idea. I can even bring in some troops to help.”

Levi knew Erwin was joking, but they both secretly wondered what the scientist was doing in that lab and what strange concoctions were being produced.

“So how has work been? They’ve kept you so busy I hardly get to see you lately.” Levi asked to divert the conversation. They made their way back to the couch, holding hands, and Levi dropped his head on his boyfriend’s shoulder.

“Yeah, I was on assignment for something.”

“Really? That’s all you’re going to tell me?” Levi sounded annoyed.

“I’m sure you’ll hear about it soon enough. Besides, you’ll be back from vacation next week anyway, so we’ll see each other more.”

“I didn’t even get to go anywhere on my birthday vacation because I couldn’t do anything with Eren. You were off doing some heroic shit, Hanji was always running around and refused to take him for the day, and I don’t know anything about dog kennels.”

“I’m sure he’d be fine by himself for a day or two.” Erwin shrugged.

Levi gave him a pointed look that said otherwise. “I highly doubt it. He makes me do everything for him. And he whines if I go out to get groceries, or god forbid pick up some dinner.”

Erwin chuckled again. “This is too adorable, Levi. He really likes you.”

“Why does everyone say that when he just annoys me? I haven’t been able to enjoy myself!”

“Levi! I told you to watch it, you don’t want to hurt his feelings. Besides, he’s just trying to show you he cares. This is a _good_ thing.”

“Why couldn’t he be more like me? Or a cat?”

Erwin gasped in mock offense. They heard a whine and saw Eren standing around the corner looking dejected, ears down and tail tucked between his legs. Erwin turned to give Levi a stern look. “Told you.”

Levi sighed, wiping his face.

“Come here Eren, it’s okay, Levi’s just being a meany weany. Come on.” Erwin patted the space next to him on the couch. The dog hesitated, but moved slowly into the room and crawled on the couch, settling close to Erwin and giving Levi a pitiful expression.

“Hey Eren?” The dog’s ears perked up as he looked to Erwin, tail moving slightly. “Why won’t you speak?” The dog froze. “You can talk, right? Did Hanji do anything to you before you became Levi’s dog?” Eren looked from Levi to Erwin but said nothing. Erwin raised his large, golden, bushy eyebrows at the dog.

“I think he’s too scared to talk. You probably intimidate him.”

“How the hell can I intimidate him when he’s the one who tackles me to the ground every day?” Levi asked.

“Some dogs don’t talk a lot. He may not have been taught. Did Hanji ever say where the dog came from?”

“I didn’t ask. Didn’t want to hear about a breeding experiment.”

“Eren, do you know where you came from? Your parents?” Erwin asked again.

“See, that’s the confused look he gives. The tilt of the head, those really big eyes, and I swear he never blinks. Oop, there it is. Okay maybe he _does_ blink.”

“I guess he’s not in a talking mood.” Erwin shrugged. He started rubbing Eren’s head, and the dog smiled, tail wagging. Soon his head was in Erwin’s lap, nuzzling his stomach, until he flipped over and pawed at the blond.

“Now he wants you to rub his stomach. But isn’t that…weird? Is that a dog thing? Or…ya know…a _dog_ thing?”

Erwin complied with Eren’s unspoken request and the dog practically _crowed_ with delight. “Awww, he likes it! Why don’t you ever rub him like this?”

“Because it’s _weird_ like I said!”

“But he looks so happy! Are you a happy puppy? Yes you are! Yes you are!”

“Erwin you’re disturbing me.”

“You need to have more fun in your life. Go on, rub his belly.”

Eren looked up at him, smiling, tail wagging, stomach bared and ready to be petted. Levi stared at Erwin, who grabbed his hand and put it on the dog’s stomach. When his fingers moved as he flailed to get out of the grip, Eren laughed.

“Did you hear that?”

“What, he’s never laughed?”

“He hasn’t made any human sounds…ever.”

“Well he’s giggling like a fiend now. Maybe he wanted you to tickle him?”

Levi used both hands, wriggling his fingers along the dog’s sides and listening to the squeals as the dog squirmed in Erwin’s lap.

“Well that’s new.”

***

Levi moaned as he crawled beneath the sheets, watching Erwin as he undressed with a sly smirk. He laid back, arms crossed behind his head.

“Come here big Daddy.”

Erwin smirked back at him, fingers on the waistband of his pants. “You sure you wanna do this with Eren in the house?”

“Why the fuck not? Get your ass in bed, Commander.”

“Watch your tone, _Captain_.” Erwin replied, strutting forward and crawling sultrily across the mattress.

“I’ve waited a long time for this, thunder thighs.” Levi moaned, slapping his hands around Erwin’s legs, well-placed kisses trailing along his neck and jaw.

Erwin pulled back, a hurt expression on his face. “ _Levi_ , you know I’m sensitive about that.” He pouted.

“Oh shut up and gimme your dick.” Levi sneered and mashed their lips together.

The sound of scratching at the door distracted them and Levi groaned. “Go away Eren!”

“Doesn’t he usually sleep in here with you?” Erwin asked and started sucking on his neck.

“Yeah, but he can sleep on the couch tonight. I am not letting that dog cock block me.” Levi growled, bringing Erwin closer. Eren whined from behind the door. “Couch, Jaeger!” his owner yelled. More scratching and whining. “Just ignore him.”

“You’re a bad owner.” Erwin said, but was smiling too much to be serious. They kissed again, long and slow, hands caressing inner thighs and fingers digging into backs.

***

Levi was wrapped up in Erwin’s embrace, content and asleep, when the sound of the door opening stirred him. He sat up, alert, and came face-to-face with a pair of bright green eyes.

Eren was staring at him, sitting on his knees at the end of the bed, waiting.

Levi mouthed the word ‘no’ and gestured to the door. Eren crawled forward. “ _No_.” He groaned when Eren ignored him, choosing instead to situate himself in between himself and Erwin. The big blond shifted, reaching out and making contact with Eren, who cuddled close to him. “Traitor.” He whispered, glaring. He turned sharply on his other side, back to his dog.

Erwin chuckled. “Levi…I didn’t know you liked licking…”

“It’s not me, idiot.”

“Hmm?” It took a second before Levi smiled at a confused noise Erwin made. “Oh, hello there Eren.”

“He’s a menace.” Levi hissed.

“I think he’s adorable.”

“You should take him home with you then.” Levi growled. He felt a kick and turned back to glare at his boyfriend, who was giving a glare of his own, cradling the dog in his arms. They both gave him pathetic faces, all big eyes and pouting lips. “I hate you both.” He sighed.

***

_What does it mean when your dog is overly affectionate?_ Levi typed into Google the next day. The responses he got looked vague and disappointing.

_Dogs show affection when they are happy!_

_When dogs like their owners, they become very affectionate to show their love._

_Licking, cuddling, and humping are all signs that your dog really likes you!_

“Wait, what?” He narrowed his eyes, looking closer at the screen. One of these things was not like the other. “ _Humping_?!” he exclaimed. “Oh hell no.”

_How to get your dog to stop fucking licking your face dammit that shit is gross_

_Did you mean How to get your dog to lick your face?_

“No! Dammit Google! You’re useless!” Levi yelled at his computer screen.

He heard a bark, and in the back of his mind the Jaws theme played. He saw Eren’s tail, high in the air as he came around the couch, before he saw the dog himself.

“Why are you walking on all fours? You’re such a weird dog.”

Eren decided to crawl onto Levi’s lap, which was awkward because he was nearly a full grown teenager, all lanky limbs and bushy tail in his owner’s face. He stared at the screen, bony ass digging into Levi’s thighs. After a moment, he turned to look at Levi with his confused expression.

“Well you won’t talk, so how the hell else am I supposed to know what it all means?” Levi asked him. Eren kept staring. Levi took the dog’s face in his hands, noticing a slight widening of the eyes. “ _Speak_.” He commanded. Eren barked in his face. “That’s not what I meant you little shit.”

Eren whined, pawing at him. Then he turned, Levi flailing, and pawed at the computer.

“Hey, stop that, you’ll break the computer!”

_,nvjdhkvds ngs uigsbv jsgssl s_

“Dammit Eren! Your claws are scratching the keys!” Levi pushed the dog off, who yelped and sat awkwardly staring up at him, looking ready to cry.

_How the fuck do I make my dog talk?_

More useless results.

_Some dogs never speak to their owners._

_Some dogs are intelligent enough to become NASA scientists._

Levi looked at Eren. “That’s clearly not gonna be you.”

_Certain psychological disorders disable a dog from speaking, which could mean it was abused or has not received proper education._

“Did Hanji abuse you? Forget to teach you how to talk?”

Still no response. Levi sighed, giving up. There was only one thing left to do.

***

“Alright, hop in, we’re going to the vet.”

Eren shrieked at the words, scrambling back inside the house. Levi groaned and chased after him. A few minutes later his neighbor observed him carrying a German shepherd in the form of a teenage boy, who was struggling and yelping, before shoving him inside the car.

“Chill out, you just need a check-up. Maybe we can figure out why you’re so weird.” Levi said, trying to reassure him. He petted the dog the entire drive.

And Eren whined the entire time, attempting to get out of the seatbelt and jump out of the car. Levi had to lock the doors and windows.

When they arrived at the veterinarian’s office, Levi had to drag Eren out of the car and into the building. Once inside, the dog clung to Levi’s back, whimpering.

“Awww, we have a shy one.” The receptionist cooed with a smile.

“Yeah, he’s being a brat.”

“Just fill out this paperwork and a doctor will see you two shortly. The waiting room is over there.” She directed them. Levi took the clipboard and shuffled awkwardly to a couch, Eren still clinging. The dog tried to climb onto his lap again but Levi pushed him to the side.

The dog eyed the other pets in the store, mostly other dogs like himself. A lot of them had collars. They were relaxed, at least the older ones were. The younger ones like him were fidgeting and whining, asking their owner what was going on and why they were there. Eren grabbed Levi’s arm and wrapped himself around it, burying his head in his owner’s shoulder.

“He’s a cute one.” Another owner commented.

“Thanks.” Levi muttered absently.

“Master, did I do something wrong?”

“No, sweetie, it’s just the doctor.”

Levi looked up, eyeing the dog and owner across from them. The dog spoke perfectly. No one else looked at them in awe or acted like it was abnormal.

“Just one shot?” another dog asked. Levi whipped his head around.

“Yes, then we’ll be done. You wanna go to the park after?”

“Yes please!”

Levi looked at Eren, who was wary and shaking. “Look, I know you can understand me.” he whispered. The dog’s eyes met his. “Listen to the other dogs. It’s okay to talk to me.”

Eren blinked, opened his mouth, closed it. Levi was about to speak again when he yipped and buried his head back in Levi’s shoulder.

“Maybe the doc will know what’s up.” Levi muttered.

After turning in the paperwork they waited for a few more minutes. Levi tried to make Eren more comfortable, patting his head and pointing out the other dogs. When some new arrivals approached, coming toward the space on the couch next to them, Eren growled, baring his teeth. Levi was so surprised he was speechless for a moment.

“Hey, Eren, shush. Be nice.”

“It’s okay, we can sit somewhere else. He doesn’t seem very friendly.”

Eren was staring the other dog down, who frowned back. Eren was still growling, bristling, fangs in view, as the dog and owner walked away.

“What is _wrong_ with you?” Levi asked, giving him a light smack on the head. Eren turned to give him a betrayed look. “Why are you growling at other dogs now?”

“Levi and Eren?” the receptionist called. “You’re up!”

“Finally.” Levi muttered, getting up and dragging Eren with him. He growled at every dog they passed, posture defensive and aggressive.

“Hi there, my name is Grisha.” The doctor announced. Levi shook his hand, then pushed Eren in front of him. “This must be the puppy! Well, he looks healthy from here.” The man chuckled. “Hop on up, Eren.”

Eren looked at Levi, hesitant, but with a nod he hopped up on the table, legs dangling over the side.

“Now, I’m just going to make sure everything is growing properly. Don’t bite now, okay?” Grisha said with a smile as he began to probe the dog. He brought out his stethoscope and placed it against the dog’s chest. “Lift your arm and breathe in. Good.” Placed it on his back. “Again. Good.”

He took out another instrument and tapped it against the dog’s knee. It twitched. The other one twitched as well. Grisha ran his fingers along Eren’s sides, feeling for his ribs. Eren giggling slightly from the touch. The doctor patted his head. “You seem very healthy, Eren.”

“If you don’t mind, I have a few questions.” Levi spoke up.

“We’ll get to that at the end. I’m going to take some samples for testing.” Grisha told him, then turned back to Eren. “Is that okay? It won’t hurt too much, and only for a moment. We just want to make sure nothing is wrong.”

Eren looked wary as the doctor set up more tools, taking a needle, rubber string, cotton swabs, a band aid, and some rubbing alcohol. Eren flinched at the needle. Grisha cooed, speaking to him softly as he tied the rubber band around Eren’s arm and then rubbed the crease with the alcohol, with the needle in his hand, the dog started to struggle, whimpering and whining.

“He doesn’t seem to like needles.” Grisha chuckled. “Mind holding him?”

“Yeah, sure.” Levi strode over and clamped his hands around Eren’s arms. The puppy keened, then put his head in the crook between Levi’s neck and shoulder. Grisha stuck the needle in and Eren keened again. “It’s alright.” Levi whispered.

“It’s good that he trusts you. I can tell he’s happy.” The doctor murmured as he wiped the wound and applied the band aid, taking off the rubber band.

“Really?”

“Yes, it’s all in his posture. Right, Eren?” Grisha spoke directly to the dog, and Levi wondered if maybe, just maybe, he would finally get to hear him speak. Instead, Eren just wagged his tail.

“Yeah, about that…” Levi began.

“Later. Let me get these to the lab and then I’ll need a moment with Eren alone. Just standard procedure.” Grisha said before taking the needle and exiting.

Levi sighed. Eren was still sitting on the table, glancing at the band aid on his arm curiously, but still clinging to his owner.

“If you have worms, I’m going to kill Hanji.”

Eren glanced back at him, nuzzling into his neck again. They stayed like that until Grisha returned.

“Alright, I’ll let you know of the results as soon as they come in. Now, do you mind taking a step outside for a moment? I just want to ask him some questions.”

Levi hopped off the table. “I can, but I doubt he’ll talk to you. He hasn’t said a word since I got him. That’s one of the reasons why I brought him in.”

Grisha nodded. “We’ll see.”

Levi looked at Eren one last time, then walked through the door.

***

Grisha stared at Eren for a moment, and the dog returned the look.

“So, you won’t speak to him?” Eren shook his head. “Relax, he can’t hear. You can speak freely with me.”

“Arm hurts.” Eren replied.

“Yes, that’s the needle. It should go away soon.” Grisha replied, smiling. “Now, he isn’t abusing you, is he?” he asked after a pause.

Eren shook his head vigorously. “No! No, Levi never abuses. Well, he hit me one time for making a mess on the carpet, and yells sometimes, but not abuse. Never abuse.”

“So why won’t you speak to him?” Grisha asked.

Eren fidgeted. “Nervous.” A blush appeared on his cheeks and he dipped his head.

“Are you afraid of what he’ll say?” Eren shook his head. “Afraid of what _you_ might say?” Eren nodded. “Ah, I see.”

“I like Levi.”

“Mhm.” Grisha gestured for the dog to continue.

“He makes me happy. He doesn’t know what to do sometimes, but he’s learning.”

“That’s good. You two have a nice relationship.”

“He thinks I’m broken.” Eren’s voice was tinted with sadness and regret. “Maybe I should…but…I think strange things around him. I don’t want him to hear.”

“Eren, how do you _feel_ about your owner?” Grisha asked.

“I like Levi.”

“I know, you said that, but—,”

Eren interrupted him. “I _like_ Levi.”

“Oh.” Grisha was silent for a moment. “Do you know what that means?” Eren shook his head. “Well then, this conversation might take a while. You know you’re going through puberty, right? Your body is undergoing some changes, and you may feel weird, but everything looks to be going fine.”

“Feel weird around Levi.”

“Do you know what to do when you feel that way?”

“Lick his face?”

Grisha chuckled. “No, Eren. Let me explain.”

***

“So, did he talk?” Levi asked when Grisha gestured for him to return.

“He indicated his physical health, and everything seems to be fine. Don’t worry. Some dogs just don’t want to talk, or can’t, for various reasons. But Levi, there are some things we need to discuss.”

“Yes, I still have some questions.”

“Eren, please wait outside.” Grisha asked. The dog complied. The doctor turned back to Levi. “Have you sexually satisfied him yet?”

“What?” Levi spluttered. “The fuck are you talking about?”

Grisha sighed, taking off his glasses to clean them. “Eren is going through puberty. One day he’ll go into heat. It will be better if he has experience beforehand. You need to stimulate him.”

“Is…is that why he’s so…affectionate?”

“Yes. Well, partly. He’s happy to see you, but he also wants gratification. He’s telling you what he wants, but…well, it’s a hard language to understand.”

“What do you mean? He…wants me to…”

“Has he ever presented his belly to you?”

Levi blinked, narrowing his eyes. “Yes…”

Grisha nodded. “And he licks you? Jumps on you when you get home? Has he tried to hump you yet?”

“Yes, yes, god no!” Levi answered. “Oh, but he likes to sleep in bed with me. But…everyone just said it was because he likes me.”

Grisha had a knowing look on his face, restraining himself from saying ‘well they’re right, just not in the way you think’ because he made a pact with Eren not to reveal his secret. “Those are all signs. He may not even understand them, but he’s telling you he’s…well…horny.”

“So what the hell am I supposed to do about it?”

“I can tell you have no desire to indulge him yourself, however, I suggest finding another dog for him to mate with, or someone who can satisfy his needs. During a heat, having another dog as a partner, or the owner, is ideal. However, if you have Eren with a trusted individual prior to heat, it would be better to keep the same partner.”

“I…didn’t really know about all of this. Hanji just showed up at my house with him and left me with just some toys and a shitty manual.” Levi mumbled.

“Ah. Hanji. I understand now perfectly.”

“So…is there some way to get him a partner? Like a…dog dating service or something?” Levi asked.

Grisha laughed. “You really don’t know much, do you? Have you never had a pet before?”

“No, my parents don’t like animals.”

“It’s a shame. They’re good for kids.” Grisha muttered. “Anyway, I recommend asking your friends if they have unmated dogs, people you trust. Set up a play date for the dogs first, to see if they’ll like each other. Don’t push them into anything. If it happens, it happens, if not, you’ll need to find another dog.”

“Yeah, um…I don’t think he likes other dogs. He was growling at all the ones in the lobby. Like, snarling. I’ve never seen him like that.”

“Hm…interesting.” Grisha noted that in the back of his mind. “Well, like I said, you can always find him a human partner. Just be careful. They have feelings like you and I.”

“Yeah…okay. Thanks.” Levi replied, dazed by all the information.

“Aside from that, everything looks fine. When we get the results, schedule another visit, okay?”

Levi nodded and they shook hands again. When he opened the door, he heard growling.

Eren was backed into the wall, hackles raised, tail up, ears pointed, claws hooked and ready to strike. A steady low growl of warning came from between his sharp teeth.

“Hey, stop that.” Levi poked him and the growling paused, only to pick up again when another dog came by. Grisha peered out of the exam room. “See? He’s not very friendly to his own kind.”

The doctor shrugged. “Some aren’t. Just like humans.”

Levi blinked at the man, then tugged on Eren’s arm and led him out of the room, holding him back when he tried to lash out at a dog that got too close.

“Man, what’s up with you and other dogs? You’d think dogs would be fine with each other since they’re the same.”

Eren humphed, slumping into his seat. At Levi’s request he put the seatbelt on and they were on their way home. Since he wasn’t trying to escape anymore, Levi rolled the window down slightly and smiled as Eren stuck his head out, tongue lolling out of his mouth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: This is gonna be one of those slow build kind of things, both with the relationship and plot. Because of reasons. Also, Levi ran away with this. I had no control over him or his sass for this chapter. I believe Tumblr highly influenced this chapter.


	3. When the Stars Align

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Levi is trying to get some work done, but Eren just wants to play, so he's sent to Erwin's for a few days.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I don’t own Attack on Titan or the song this title is taken from.

Levi kept thinking about what the doctor said. He couldn’t stop noticing the tiny little things Eren sometimes did to get his attention, things _humans_ did when they had a crush. He wondered if he should try to have a serious conversation with Hanji about it. That mad scientist would probably know more about why Eren was behaving this way, especially if experiments were performed. For some reason, he dreaded knowing. He wanted to keep ignoring it. He had a boyfriend and a pervy dog. Gee, what could go wrong?

Apparently, everything.

Levi realized his mistake too late, and now he wasn’t quite sure what to do. Currently, his dog was trying to hump his side, all because he made a comment about those beautiful green eyes of his.

_Eren bounded up to him when he called for dinner, happy and smiling and all tail wagging. Before Levi could stop him, the dog wrapped him up in a big hug. Being this close, Levi got a chance to peer into the sparkling emerald ocean._

_“Wow, you have really pretty eyes.” He breathed. Usually he kept comments like that to himself, because how weird is it to say that out loud to a dog?_

_The affect was also a reason. Eren smiled wide and gave a loud yip. Then…_

“Eren, I swear to Wall Maria if you don’t get off right now _I will put you in the kennel_.” Levi hissed, trying to push the dog away.

At the mention of the ‘k’ word, Eren froze, whining and jumping back. He gave Levi his confused expression.

“Oh, don’t give me that look. You knew exactly what you were doing.” Levi seethed, feeling violated and emotionally compromised. Having a regular dog hump him was gross enough. What the hell was Eren thinking?

Eren gave another whine, tail down between his legs, ears flat, lips pouting. His ocean eyes looked vibrant as pools of tears formed.

The owner sighed. “If you would just talk to me, we could avoid awkward situations like this.” He mumbled. “Seriously, why won’t you say anything?”

Eren looked down, hands clasped together tightly in front of him. His face was red. Was he… _blushing_? Levi took a step forward but caught himself. He didn’t need another repeat.

“Just…eat some dinner, okay?” Levi watched as Eren trudged into the kitchen to eat, feeling bad about threatening him with the kennel. He never actually used it, because Eren was generally well behaved when company was around or when he went out. His messes weren’t too bad, mostly accidents when he would try to play or get some food, so it wasn’t like he destroyed the house out of spite when Levi left him for a few hours.

But still, he bought the cage just in case he needed it one day. He felt silly thinking about sticking the humanoid dog into a large metal cage, as if it were a jail cell.

After a silent dinner, Levi was sitting on the couch when Eren tentatively crawled up next to him, cuddling into his side cautiously in case Levi tried to push him away. After a moment, when his owner didn’t reprimand or yell at him, he worked up the courage to give Levi a peck on the cheek as an apology, nuzzling into his neck.

Levi’s decision was made. He needed to speak with Hanji.

***

He didn’t get the chance to, however, when he was put on a special assignment which had him working from home for a few days. Because he was the cleanest and most organized, he was tasked with filing various reports into a data system, as well as researching the information provided. And because the office was too cluttered and going through maintenance, they basically just sent him home with a shit load of boxes filled with papers and told him to have fun.

Which honestly would be fine, if it wasn’t for his dog. Eren constantly wanted attention when Levi was home, and always seemed to get in trouble. It was an unwelcome distraction when he was trying to read lousy reports written in chicken scratch by people who wrote like they barely passed second grade.

Groaning, he rubbed his eyes, rolling the muscles in his shoulders and cracking his neck. They were switching to online data entry, so it would be easier to find and fill out reports instead of doing it the paper way. Plus it was ‘green’ and ‘environmentally friendly’ to go paperless. Levi thought it was a good idea—even suggested it—but regretted it once he realized the workload it put on him. If he read one more shitty paper about military proceedings he would gouge his eyes out.

A ball whizzed by him and he opened his eyes just in time to see it hit a stack of boxes, watching as they crumbled down and spread papers all over the floor. Silence. Slowly he turned to glare behind him, where Eren was standing wide-eyed looking at the mess, mouth open in a slight ‘O’ with his hand up as if to catch the rogue toy.

When their eyes met, Eren let out a tentative cry, expecting some harsh words and maybe even a kick to the shins. He automatically flinched away when Levi got up. His owner sighed and started stretching.

“Okay Eren, you’ve been distracting me all day. I know you want to play, and I know you’re excited I’m home, but I really need to get this done. So either find a place to chill out, or I’ll have to take you somewhere for the next few days.” Levi told him. The betrayed look his dog gave him left Levi with a pang of regret, but he stood firm. He really needed to get this done, and having Eren mess everything up wasn’t helping his mood. “Look, it’s not a bad thing. I just need to concentrate and be left alone for a while. Can you do that?”

Eren looked hopeful, nodding and darting away. Levi wondered if the dog would actually stay quiet for a whole day.

A couple hours later, he got his answer. There was a loud crash from the kitchen and Levi swore, jumping out of his seat when he heard a cry of pain. Storming into the kitchen, half angry, half worried, he saw Eren on the floor with glass all around him.

The dog was on his back, legs over his head, as if he fell over backwards. He stared up at his owner, past his tail, with pleading eyes.

“Are you hurt?” Levi asked, holding his anger at bay. The dog shook his head, unmoving. Levi walked forward to examine the mess. “Were you trying to get a glass of water?” The dog nodded apologetically. Levi grabbed a mini sweeper and pan, then knelt on the floor. He started sweeping the glass pieces into the pan and noticed Eren was still in that odd position, watching him. “You can get up. Just make sure you don’t step on any glass.”

Eren moved slowly, trying to avoid the shards around him. Levi helped by sweeping away the glass near the dog so he had room to get to his feet. He didn’t think about their proximity or positions. Eren wobbled on his legs, grabbing the counter to steady himself.

“Hold on, let me make sure you didn’t land on any glass.” Levi said and stood, checking the dog over for any cuts or scratches. When he didn’t see any problems, he shooed the dog away. Eren slinked off, shoulders slumped.

After cleaning up the mess, he realized he spent more time that day taking care of the dog’s messes than actually getting any work done. It took him almost an hour to get all the papers back in their correct boxes, trying to reorganize them so he could make sense of them when inputting the files onto the computer. He knew the dog didn’t mean to be a hassle, but it seemed like every time he turned around there was something else to fix.

“That’s it. I’m calling Erwin.”

Thankfully his boyfriend was off for the day, relaxing after his latest mission. They would have spent some time together if Levi wasn’t slammed with this assignment. He agreed to take Eren for a few days, and Levi figured the two would get along fine since Eren loved it when Erwin visited. They spent more time together than Levi did.

Now he just had to get Eren in the car and over to Erwin’s place.

When he went into his room where he figured the dog would be—he usually curled up on his dog bed in the corner when he was in trouble—Levi attempted to coax the dog out. Once Eren knew he was being taken somewhere, he ran. Now Levi was chasing his dog around the house…again.

“Dammit Jaeger! You’re not going to the vet!” Levi yelled. He took to calling the dog Hanji’s name when he was angry, because it sounded more formal. Plus he wanted to get back at Hanji.

At the sound of the ‘v’ word, Levi heard a yelp, indicating Eren’s position near the couch. He was hiding under the coffee table, trembling.

“Eren, I’m taking you to Erwin’s. You remember him, right? Tall, blond, and handsome? Your best buddy? Yeah? Yeah.” Levi said as he rounded the corner of the couch. He put out his hand. “Come on, don’t make me drag you.”

Eren gave a tiny growl, and Levi narrowed his eyes. The growl subsided into a whine. The dog was scared and confused, thinking he did something wrong and was going to be punished. Levi could see it in his eyes. Levi moved closer, slowly, hoping the dog wouldn’t lash out. Grasping Eren’s wrist, he pulled until the dog shot forward from beneath the coffee table and landed on his chest.

As if in victory, the dog’s tail wagged a bit as he grinned down at him. Before he could dart away again, Levi gripped him in a bear hug and got to his feet, huffing and puffing.

“Shit, you’re getting heavy.” He muttered, carrying the dog outside once again after managing to grab his keys. Eren had his arms and legs wrapped around him, whimpering into his ear. Once again the neighbors wondered what went on in that house.

The car ride was similar to the one to the vet. Eren was fidgeting and antsy, doubting his owner’s intentions of taking him to Erwin’s. Levi had threatened to send him back to Hanji, take him to a boarding house, or leave him at the vet a few times. The dog didn’t believe they were all jokes, whether Levi meant them to be or not.

“I’m not mad, I just need you to hang with Erwin so I can get this stuff done. Don’t worry, I grabbed some toys and your blanket, and he can feed and take care of you there. Just _don’t_ try to get in the shower with him. Unless he offers.” Levi said, trying to soothe his dog’s nerves.

Another whine was his response. Levi rolled down the window slightly and Eren leaned toward it, as if starved for air. “Look at all these big ass trees, Eren.” The dog stared at the scenery as Levi drove, finally relaxing.

When they arrived at Erwin’s apartment, Eren got antsy again. He sniffed the air, but there were too many people in the area to distinguish Erwin’s scent. Levi had to grasp him beneath the armpits and haul him out of the car. Eren climbed onto his back, arms and legs once more wrapped around him. Sighing, Levi went up a flight of stairs and knocked on Erwin’s door.

When it opened, it only took Erwin one second to start laughing. Levi glared at his boyfriend as he guffawed, while he felt Eren’s tail wagging. He grinned, barking happily, and scrambled off of Levi to jump on the Commander.

“Hey there, buddy! Have you come to visit Daddy? Yeah?”

“Oh my god Erwin don’t call yourself that around him.” Levi blurted, flushing red. That term was reserved for bedroom talk.

“What? You’re the mommy and I’m the daddy!”

“ _No_ Erwin.”

Two pouting faces met his glare and he gave up. Erwin stepped back to let them both in, but Levi knew he couldn’t stay.

“Um, his stuff is still in the car, since I couldn’t carry him and the toys at the same time. I’ll go get it.” Erwin nodded, watching Eren get acclimated to the new place as Levi darted back outside. When he returned, he put the stuff on his boyfriend’s couch, giving him a peck on the lips before heading for the door.

“Hey wait, leaving so soon?” Erwin called after him.

They heard a crash and a yelp, both heads whipping toward the direction of the sounds.

“Yeah, sounds like you got a lot to handle. See you later!” Levi shouted over his shoulder as he ran down the steps.

“Levi! You better come back in a few days!” Erwin shouted over the railing. He watched his boyfriend speed off and chuckled to himself.

“Okay Eren, what’s the problem?”

“I’m sorry, I bumped into a table.” Eren mumbled, peeking around the corner.

“It’s alright. Here, let me finish the tour. Levi brought your stuff, it’s on the couch.” Erwin said, striding forward. He showed the dog around his house, chatting casually about each room. “You can stay with me in my room or take the guest room. There’s always the couch too if you prefer.”

“I don’t like to sleep alone.” Eren stated, hugging Erwin’s arm.

“That’s fine, neither do I.” Erwin smiled and ruffled the dog’s hair. Eren smiled back at him. They made their way back to the couch, where Erwin was watching a movie. Something was gnawing at the back of his mind, however. “So…what happened?”

Eren looked at him with big eyes, not speaking.

“Levi said you were distracting him.” Erwin poked the dog in the ribs. “What’d you do?” His tone was light and casual, unlike Levi’s harsh monotone. He also had a smile, unlike Levi’s usual frown.

Eren shrugged. “I didn’t mean to. I was trying to stay out of his way, but…” Erwin gestured for him to continue. “But I love it when Levi stays home with me!” Eren exclaimed, eyes bright and tail wagging. “I like to play and run and sit in his lap and watch him work! But he didn’t want me to. He wanted me to stay away. So I tried playing by myself, like normal when he’s not home, but since he _was_ home, I ended up making a mess.”

Erwin understood only part of what Eren said, considering some of it was just barks and yips. Nevertheless, he nodded.

“Yeah, he does that to me sometimes too. He’s a workaholic. When he’s focused on something, he doesn’t like distractions, and will shut himself up in his room or office for hours. Sometimes I feel lonely when he doesn’t pay attention to me.”

“Yes! Lonely. I get lonely when he’s not here, but sometimes when he _is_ here I am also lonely.” Eren agreed.

“Why don’t you tell him?”

Eren’s tail stopped wagging and his ears drooped. He mumbled something the blond couldn’t hear. When he was poked again, he gave a sheepish look. “You know why.”

“Still shy around him?” Eren nodded. “It’s not so bad. He’s really not that mean if you give him a chance.”

“Not mean. But…”

“What is it? Are you still afraid you’ll say the wrong thing?”

“I…I tried…”

“What?”

The dog was blushing, fiddling with his hands, not making eye contact. Erwin had a feeling he knew what happened. He ran a hand through Eren’s hair for reassurance.

“You’ll get mad at me.”

“Try me.”

“I did a bad thing.”

“Don’t worry, I won’t punish you.”

“You’ll get mad.”

Erwin’s patience was a fortress, but he was really curious now. When Levi called him earlier he sounded stressed and…embarrassed. He knew something happened they didn’t want to talk about. He lifted Eren’s chin, giving the dog a soft smile.

“Just tell me.”

Eren’s lip trembled. “I made a mistake. I thought he was accepting my feelings and got too excited. He called my eyes pretty. Is that flirting? I thought it was. But I took it the wrong way because he was upset with me.”

“Eren…did you…did you _hump him_?” Erwin was on the verge of laughter. He knew this would happen one day.

Eren hid his face again, tensing. “I didn’t mean to take! I didn’t mean to claim!”

Erwin was confused for a moment, and then understood. Oh, right. He was a dog.

“Don’t worry, I know. I’ve told you I don’t mind if you have feelings for him. He’s your owner.”

“But you’re his boyfriend.” Eren whispered, still flinching away, expecting an attack. “I did a bad thing, because he is your mate.”

“Oh, no, Eren…it doesn’t really work that way. I mean, yes, we’re dating, but…” Erwin looked down at his left hand, at the ring-less finger, and sighed. “I’m not mad. I’m actually amused. I’m sure he was a little freaked out.”

“He threatened to kennel me.” Eren whimpered, looking close to tears. “I don’t like that cage. It’s cold and not big enough and uncomfortable and scary.”

“Hush, hush, it’s okay. I won’t let him put you in that cage.” Erwin held the dog close, wincing at his own behavior when not taking into account Eren’s feelings. This was serious to the dog, and Erwin was treating it like a joke. “It’s alright, calm down. No one’s mad.”

“B-But what do I do?” Eren asked, snuggling close, tears soaking into Erwin’s shirt.

“I’m not sure. He’s weird about emotions. Maybe we can talk to him about it.” Erwin suggested.

“You talk.” The dog replied.

***

“So, how did it go?” Levi asked a couple days later.

“He was a perfect little angel puppy.” Erwin cooed, ruffling Eren’s hair. The dog blushed, hiding his face in the long sleeves of an old sweatshirt Erwin let him wear. “We played, cuddled, watched movies, had a food fight, and talked about your weird habits!”

Levi pinched the bridge of his nose. “Please tell me you bathed him.” Erwin’s shit-eating grin caught Levi’s attention. He looked from the dog to his boyfriend. “Oh fuck, you didn’t….no… _no_ Erwin. Bad! _Bad Daddy_!” Levi whacked him with a newspaper for good measure, but couldn’t help to smile at Erwin’s raucous laughter.

“Oh calm down, it was perfectly tame. He doesn’t like baths very much and I was already in—,”

“Okay, you can stop now, thanks, moving on.” Levi cut him off quickly, waving his hands. He strode into the house and started picking up Eren’s toys. “It’s nice to know my boyfriend and dog are getting more action than I am.” He grumbled.

“Not gonna stay a while? I thought we could have a family moment.”

Levi turned to glare at the blond. “Come on Eren, unless you wanna live with tall, blond, and handsome.”

Eren smiled, tail wagging, as he glanced at Erwin, who patted him on the head. “See ya later, little Jaeger.”

The dog bounced up to Levi and gave him a hug. “Yeah? You really wanna come back with me?” Eren nodded. “What, was Erwin mean to you?” The dog chuckled, shaking his head.

“He missed you.” Erwin stated, arms crossed and expression soft. The unspoken ‘so did I’ made Levi’s throat clench.

“Yeah, it was really quiet with this little mutt gone.” And clean. But he wasn’t going to say that out loud. He rubbed Eren’s back and gave a small smile. The dog grinned up at him.

“Eren, why don’t you take your stuff and go sit in the car. I want to speak with Levi for a moment.” Erwin asked suddenly. Eren looked confused and wary, but after a reassuring nod he complied, grabbing his belongings and running out the door.

Levi quirked an eyebrow and Erwin took a few steps closer. “Are you alright?” he asked, eyebrows scrunched together.

“Yeah, why?”

“Are you…jealous?”

“What? No!”

“Levi…”

“ _Erwin_ …”

The Commander sighed. “Maybe we should spend more time together. I can take you out on a date like we used to do. Eren can stay with Hanji for the night or something.”

“I can’t right now.”

“Why not?”

Levi wasn’t looking at him. He wasn’t sure why he felt so weird. He wasn’t even sure what he was feeling. The dog had him messed up. Being away from Erwin for so long made him act strange.

Erwin gently lifted Levi’s chin with a finger. “Hey, I love you, okay? Don’t forget that.”

That was right. Levi _was_ jealous. Eren and Erwin had the kind of relationship he wished he could have. But didn’t he and Erwin have that kind of relationship? He felt like they were drifting apart. He wanted to get closer.

Erwin kept thinking about what Eren said when he confessed to trying to hump Levi. Claiming, ownership, mating. That was what dogs did. But didn’t humans do the same? A jacket over the shoulders, holding hands in public, a ring on a finger, a vow, a kiss. They were all measures of ownership, though subtle. Titles like boyfriend/girlfriend, partner, spouse, husband/wife, fiancé, even the term relationship established a connection others weren’t allowed to break. It didn’t always stop someone, but it was binding for the people involved.

Have they been kissing enough? Holding hands? Sharing clothes and space and time and years? Should he leave a mark, some kind of sign telling the world they belonged together?

Erwin leaned in, and Levi’s eyes drifted shut. Lips were claimed in a soft kiss.

“Marry me.” Erwin whispered against Levi’s mouth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: I am not ashamed to use the “big ass trees” quote in every fanfiction featuring Levi. Also, “Marry Me” by Train came on while I was writing a certain moment, so yeah. Not where I thought this was going, but hey, I can dig it.


	4. Howl

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Levi and Eren find themselves the center of multiple attacks, and things start to go downhill.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: Bleh, trust me, Shingeki no Kyojin is better off in Isayama’s hands.
> 
> Warning: This chapter is a bit darker and more violent (it’s tame compared to my other stuff though, so rating remains the same).

Levi went to bed still thinking about Erwin’s proposal. He was shocked speechless for a while, staring into his boyfriend’s eyes until they squeezed shut with laughter. He remembered getting flustered and stuttering out a ‘yes’ or something similar, because Erwin’s eyes were bright and breathtaking and even now he forgot how to breathe.

Dazed yet blissful, Levi laid in bed staring up at the ceiling. There was no ring on his finger to gaze at, because it was so spontaneous, but he could imagine it. He briefly wondered what made Erwin ask so suddenly. Why now? Or, more specifically, why in that moment? He didn’t have the mental capacity to figure it out right now, so he didn’t worry about it.

Sleep. Yes. Erwin said he looked like shit and needed some rest. Levi closed his eyes and drifted…

He awoke to growling. Eyes springing open, body alert, muscles tense, fear pulsing through him. What was that sound coming from? Carefully, slowly, he raised his head and saw Eren crouched over him in a protective stance, head pointing toward the door and growling, teeth bared. He looked…different somehow. Aggressive, frightening, serious.

That was when he picked up on what his dog must have sensed. Faint noises were coming from the living room, and Levi just _knew_ someone was there. Eren was nearly between shifts, waiting, limbs stiff. Levi moved slowly again, sitting up on his elbows and assessing the situation. He had weapons scattered throughout the house, hidden so Eren couldn’t hurt himself, but available if needed. A gun was in the drawer of his nightstand. A knife was under his pillow.

He reached for the gun, and saw Eren’s eyes flash to him, his movements halting. What was that look? Eren was in defense mode, ready to strike at whoever came through that door.

“Eren, get back.” Levi whispered, reaching for the drawer again. The dog’s eyes flashed to him again, the growling intensifying. His shoulders bunched together as footsteps moved closer. Levi didn’t dare speak, for fear of being heard. He didn’t know why Eren was acting this way.

The dog gave a low, deep bark of warning. The sound sent chills up Levi’s spine, freezing him in place.

The door burst open.

Eren roared and lunged forward at the attackers as they stormed the room. Levi called out, reaching for the dog who transformed mid-leap into his true form, a large German Shepherd. The dog’s jaws latched onto the arm of a man holding a gun, ripping it down, sawing through flesh, swinging his head back and forth to dislodge the shoulder. The man cried out and aimed his fists at the dog’s head, who avoided by jerking away, teeth still attached to the arm.

Everyone was shouting, some men came toward Levi, who snatched his gun and cocked it, firing without thinking. He was grateful for always keeping the gun loaded just for this purpose.

“Eren!” his voice was laced with fear, but not for himself. He saw combat first-hand. His hands were stained with blood, and he could sleep peacefully at night. But his dog was different.

At his owner’s call, the dog whipped around, ripping the arm out of the attacker’s socket and charging toward another who raised a knife over Levi’s head. A shot rang out and the man dropped. Levi was on his feet, but Eren got in front of him, turning to face the one man left. He was screaming, clutching the rest of his hemorrhaging stub of an arm.

Levi pointed the gun at his head. “Who are you and what do you want? I’ll only ask once.”

“We’re here for that _monster_.” The man spat, glaring at the dog near Levi’s feet.

Levi’s eyebrows furrowed. “The fuck are you talking about?”

“I’m with the Military Police. That dog is a threat to our society and needs to be put down!”

“Explain yourself. You came into _my_ home unannounced, why should I trust you? You know who I am?”

“Of course, _Captain_ , but this isn’t your jurisdiction. Just hand the monster over.”

“This is _exactly_ my jurisdiction, because he’s _my_ dog. He’s only a threat to shitheads like you who try to break into someone’s house in the middle of the night.”

“Yeah? What makes you think he won’t turn on you?”

Eren was growling the whole time, hackles raised, still a full dog standing in between the attacker and his owner. Levi glanced down at the dog and back up at the wounded man with a small smirk. “I highly doubt that. Now tell your superiors to stay the fuck away from me and my dog, or they’ll have much worse to fear than a mere _animal_.” Levi spat.

The man stood, trembling. Eren took a step forward and Levi put a hand out, stopping him. The man scrambled away, slipping on his own blood. Levi turned on the lamp and checked the bodies, making sure they were actually dead and searching them.

“You can stand down, Eren.” He called over his shoulder. It was the first time he saw Eren in his complete form, and it bothered him that an attack in his own home caused it. He was also surprised by Eren’s reaction. The boy padded over to him, looking down at the bodies coldly, yet his face was troubled. After gathering extra weapons and checking I.D.s, Levi stood and grasped him by the arms. “Are you alright?”

Eren nodded, not making eye contact. Levi checked him for wounds. Eren reached out tentatively and touched Levi’s shoulder, then ran his hands along his owner’s body—checking for wounds as well.

“I’m okay, they didn’t get me.” Levi assured him. Eren finally met his stare, eyes glistening with tears, and hugged Levi close. The dog buried his head in Levi’s chest, wrapping his arms around him tightly. “Shhh, it’s alright.” Levi hugged him back.

***

“They did what now?” Erwin’s voice was calm, but Levi could see the anger building in those storm-ridden eyes.

He called his boyfriend over soon after the attack was over, knowing he needed to consult the Commander and also wanting his boyfriend near for comfort. It was odd. He didn’t care if people came after him—they’d been doing it his whole life—but knowing they were after _Eren_ changed everything.

Levi gestured for him to follow into the room, pointing to the blood. “They came in straight through, after Eren barked. He caught one by the arm and held him while the other two went for me. I shot them both. One had a gun, the other a knife, when they attacked. I checked later, they had guns and knives hidden on them.”

“And the third?”

“I questioned him, but he was bleeding pretty heavily. He just said Eren was a monster and needed to be put down. I don’t know what the hell he was talking about, so I guess he was just babbling due to blood loss. I don’t know why they would be after him.”

“And you let him _go_?” Now Levi could hear the anger in Erwin’s voice. The Commander was staring hard at him, jaw clenched.

Levi blinked. “He probably didn’t get very far. He bled all over my fucking house. Most likely dead by now.”

Erwin sighed and grit his teeth. Eren followed them throughout the house, hovering close, looking fragile. Levi reached out, brushing a hand through the dog’s hair, who laid his chin on Levi’s shoulder. Erwin’s gaze softened.

“Well, I’m glad you’re both okay.” He finally said before pulling them into a hug. They were silent and unmoving for a while. “Let’s get this place cleaned up, okay?”

“Yeah, I’ll need to get new carpet now.” Levi hissed, face scrunching in disgust.

“Cut a piece out for evidence. I want to test the blood against DNA and find out exactly who in the Military Police went after you. If they went rogue, this will be easier to deal with. If not…” Erwin put his hands on his hips.

“We’ll take care of it.” Levi finished. He took out a knife and started cutting out a square of blood. All the weapons he took off the bodies were piled together. The bodies themselves were wrapped in garbage bags and laid in a line at the front door.

“What will I tell them when I bring the bodies in?” Erwin asked.

Levi paused. “You can tell them the truth. See if they can give us an answer.”

“Yes, I’m sure that’ll go over well.” Erwin rolled his eyes. “I’ll come up with something.”

“Have there been any complaints about dog shifters?” Levi suddenly asked. They glanced at Eren who was sitting on the bed, knees tucked up to his chest, watching them.

“The crime rate for their species is pretty low, even against each other. Only strays or berserkers have been known to attack anyone. I don’t see why they would want to put Eren down.”

“I need to talk to Hanji.”

“Agreed. It’s about time we pay the scientist a visit.”

“We?”

Erwin glanced up at him, a small smirk on his lips. “Of course, we’re a family.” Levi stared at him, unused to that term. Erwin put a hand behind his neck, bringing his head forward for a kiss. “I love you, remember?” He smiled at the faint blush on the other man’s cheeks.

Eren smiled behind his knees, tail wagging slightly.

***

_Dog shifters are fully capable of transforming into a full dog of their breed. At a young age, the shifting may be spontaneous and hard to control, but with proper training they can switch between forms easily. However, some dogs prefer to stay in one form over the other. When threatened or frightened, sometimes a shift is triggered to react according to the situation. If a shifter feels more comfortable as a dog in such an event, it may be hard to shift back—and vice versa. Trauma can also trigger a transformation, and the shifter may remain in that form until he or she feels safe. It is important for owners not to push a transformation, as it can cause mistrust and trauma in the relationship. If the shifter is injured in one form, it may be difficult to transform into the other without causing further injury. There are also medications available to control the shift, either by inducing it or inhibiting it, but these are not recommended for use on household pets, as it can put a strain on the dog and cause it to fear the owner._

***

Levi stayed with Eren as Erwin took the bodies and headed toward Military Police Headquarters. It made him worry, but his boyfriend was a clever man, and could be more intimidating than him when he wanted. Eren whined, pacing around the house. He wouldn’t respond when his owner asked about the transformation. At one point he darted outside.

Levi went after him, but Eren was just standing in the front yard, watching the road for Erwin’s return. He didn’t like Eren out in the open, but he doubted the Military Police would try a second attack in broad daylight, so he went back to cleaning. They got as much blood out of the carpet and off the walls as possible, but Levi could still sense the filth and needed something to occupy his mind.

He was scrubbing the kitchen floor for no other reason than it was something to clean when he heard a yelp from outside.

***

Eren was waiting for Erwin to come back, standing in the front yard, ears perked up to listen for any cars driving by, when a scent drifted by him on the wind. He sniffed the air, curling his upper lip as a slow growl ripped through him.

Two dogs appeared around the corner, both large and aggressive as they prowled forward. The Husky was stocky, almost pure white with flecks of blond and tan, while the Great Dane was a deep chestnut brown, tall and limber. Their muscles bunched up beneath the fur.

Eren tensed, growling out a warning and crouching into a defensive position. When they charged, he shot forward, transforming once again in a ferocious snarl of fur and flying limbs. They collided, jaws snapping and paws swiping at each other. Eren’s ears were pinned to his head, tail lashing out as he jumped on top of the Husky. The Great Dane bit down on his back leg and pulled him off. The Husky pounced, aiming for Eren’s neck.

They were all vicious snarls, angry barks, and bloodcurdling howls as they fought. The German Shepherd clawed at the Husky’s stomach with his legs, attempting to throw the other dog off or at least gouge out his stomach. The Great Dane tugged on Eren’s tail, making him yelp.

***

Levi grabbed a nearby knife and ran out the door, stopping when he noticed the fight in his front yard.

Eren was on the ground in full dog form again, being pinned down by a Great Dane while a Husky gnawed on his neck. Levi gripped the knife and surged forward.

“Hey! Get the fuck off him!” He snarled, throwing the blade at the Husky. It struck his shoulder as the Husky moved away, leaving a gash to stain the white of his fur. The Great Dane jumped away, and the two dogs bolted down the road. They didn’t have collars or any kind of identification, but Levi knew he would recognize those fur patterns if he saw them again.

Plus, Eren didn’t exactly have a collar anyway, which was probably his fault, so who knows if the dogs belonged to a neighbor or were just strays.

“Eren! Are you alright?” Levi rushed forward, analyzing the wounds. The dog’s fur was matted with blood, mostly around his neck. His legs had cuts and nicks, muscle and bone showing beneath the ripped fur. He was whimpering, breathing heavily, eyes squinting. Levi ran into the house to grab his keys and wallet, snatching some rags off the counter and slamming the door behind him as he picked Eren up and put him in the car, wrapping up his wounds with the makeshift bandages. “Don’t worry, I’m taking you to the vet. Hang on Eren.”

He sped through town, sliding into the emergency parking at the vet and dragging the dog out of his car. He carried him inside, shouting for help. Grisha was speaking with an attendant and glanced over. Ordering a few more doctors to the area, they got Eren on a stretcher and wheeled him into an exam room.

“What happened?” Grisha asked as he readied tools. The other doctors were checking Eren’s wounds and putting an IV into his arm, preparing bandages.

“He was attacked by two other dogs, a Husky and Great Dane.”

Grisha paused in his movements. “Really?” he blinked.

“I couldn’t tell if they…I didn’t know who they were or if they had owners. Is he…will Eren be okay?”

“We’ll get him fixed up, don’t worry. You can wait in the lobby for now, please.”

Levi looked reluctant to go, but was ushered out by a nurse. He stumbled into a corner and called Erwin.

“Hey, Eren was just attacked by two other dogs.”

“ _What?!_ ” Erwin exclaimed over the phone. Levi heard shuffling on the other end of the line, and Erwin’s voice was muffled, distant as he continued. “ _Hold on sir, I need to take this. Yes, it has to do with the dog._ ”

“I’m sorry for interrupting…”

Erwin’s voice was louder as he put the phone back to his lips. “ _No, tell me what happened, it could be important to the case._ ”

“Case?” Levi’s throat tightened, his voice cracking.

“ _Don’t worry, I’m taking care of it, but I need to know about Eren._ ”

“Right.” Levi cleared his throat. “I was cleaning when I heard a commotion outside. Eren was in a fight with two other big dogs, he’s at the vet now getting some help. The dogs ran but I managed to hit one with a knife in the shoulder.”

“ _What kind of dogs were they? Normal?_ ”

“I don’t think so, I mean, one was a Husky and the other a Great Dane, but…they looked like they had a purpose. It wasn’t just a regular dog fight. They were going for his neck. They would’ve killed him if I…if I didn’t chase them off.”

 _“Collars? Any way to identify them? Which one did you cut?_ ”

“No collars, the Husky was white, mostly light secondary colors, the Dane was dark brown and huge. They didn’t transform. I hit the husky on the left shoulder, it should scar over in either form.”

“ _Do you still have the knife? We can analyze the DNA of the blood._ ”

“Um…I think it’s still in the yard.”

“ _I can swing by and get it. Are you alright?_ ”

“Yeah. How’s it going over there? Do you think the attacks are related?”

“ _I’m working it out with the Military Police. So far they’re playing innocent about going after Eren. I’ve identified the three who came after you though. Listen, don’t say anything about the dog attacks. Tell the vet to keep quiet too._ ”

“Why? Erwin, what’s going on?”

“ _They think Eren attacked other dogs. They think he’s dangerous._ ”

“I thought you said they were playing innocent.”

“ _They aren’t confirming or denying sending out a group to capture Eren, but they claim there have been reports about a vicious dog of his breed attacking others. They don’t know for sure it’s Eren, but…it doesn’t look good. Especially with the guy’s arm…_ ”

“We should’ve thrown it out or something.” Levi grumbled. “Why would they think Eren is doing all this? He’s been with me for months! Hanji gave him to me when he was a puppy.”

“ _Not really, I mean he’s a teenager. They say…they say the dog responsible killed grown men when he was a child._ ”

Levi’s eyes widened. Suddenly he saw Grisha appear from the exam room. “I gotta go, call you later. Stay out of trouble, okay?”

“ _You too, love._ ” Levi hung up and stepped toward the doctor.

“He’s doing fine, we bandaged the wounds and have him sedated. I gave him some pain meds and we did a few tests on his transformations. He’s fine, able to switch forms like normal, but I suggest he maintain one form for his neck to heal. The wounds weren’t too deep on his arms and legs, but his neck has bites and puncture wounds. I wrapped it and have some medication for you. You’ll have to change the bandages every day at least, and make sure they stay clean.”

Levi nodded. “Thank you so much.” He exhaled a breath he didn’t realize he was holding. “I have to ask though…there was an incident earlier, so…”

“I won’t reveal any details unless you give me express permission. Dog shifters and their owners are entitled to privacy.”

“Thank you. Is there anything else you need from me? When can I take him home?”

“I just ask that you fill out this paperwork while Eren rests. He’ll be tired and sluggish, and will need to remain inactive for a day at least. I’ll check on him and let you know when you’re done with the paperwork.”

Levi nodded again, taking the clipboard and report attached. He sat back in the lobby and tried to concentrate on the questions.

***

The drive home was quiet, and Levi kept looking in the backseat at Eren, making sure he was still alive. The dog was sleeping, back in his normal human form, and occasionally whined or twitched.

Levi saw Erwin’s car parked haphazardly in the driveway as he pulled in. There were still bloodstains on the grass of his yard, but he didn’t see the knife. Opening the door, he saw Erwin in the kitchen, using makeshift utensils to test the blood on the knife he was holding. He glanced over when he heard the door open, watching Levi carry Eren to the couch and set him down gently. The shorter man joined the taller in the kitchen, watching.

They stared at the experiment, Erwin analyzing the results in his head, Levi analyzing Erwin’s face, for a long time. The blonde’s expression was solemn, brows knitted together, mouth set in a grim frown. Finally Levi let his head lean against Erwin’s arm.

“It doesn’t match any of the blood found earlier.” Erwin finally commented.

“You think the two events are related?” Levi asked, barely above a whisper.

“No.” Erwin replied. He practically glared at the blood on the knife.

“Just strays looking for a fight?”

“No.”

“How do you know?” Levi lifted his head, curious as he watched Erwin’s expression change to determination and confidence.

“It’s shifter blood. The two men you killed weren’t shifters.”

“So?”

Erwin finally looked at him, eyes sliding to the corners. “These shifters weren’t just strays. The blood is different from a pet’s.” Levi’s eyes widened. “They’re wild.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: I finally realized Eren (and the others) are like weredogs or dog shifters. I’ve literally been looking for the right word to describe them this entire time. Anyway, the plot thickens! *cackling* Please let me know what you think! If you have any suggestions, ideas, etc, feel free to let me know! Also, don’t forget I have a tumblr, the url is titaniumshadow.


	5. Healing Touch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Levi finds out about Eren's past after he forces Hanji to spill their secrets. Levi decides to take Eren to work with him. Nothing can go wrong...right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: Still nope on owning Attack on Titan.
> 
> People have been asking me about pairings, so I’ll try to clear it up: The main pairing, as of right now, is ErwinxLevi (Eruri). However, it is slow-building to Levi/Eren (Ereri). I don’t want to give too many spoilers, but there will also be ErwinxEren and a threesome. I’m still deciding on the rest. Shit gets cray, okay? Just hang on guys~ (Oh, if any pairings are your notp, I apologize, but that’s the way the cookie crumbles. I ship EVERYTHING in this fandom. So yeah)

“Hanji, get your ass over here, _now_.” Levi growled into the phone.

_“Why, is something wrong with Eren?”_

“Yes.” He heard clattering and fumbling on the other end of the phone, then the rev of a car engine. Turning to Eren, who was laid up on the couch, he muttered “Well that got Hanji’s attention.”

He sighed, hanging up the phone when he realized Hanji probably just threw it in the car before taking off, because he could only hear driving. He wanted Erwin to be here now, he didn’t want to do this alone. Unfortunately, the Commander was busy trying to find out why the Military Police broke into the house and tried to kill Eren, as well as researching the wild shifters who attacked Eren. Once again, Levi was left to deal with Eren by himself, wishing his boyfriend—fiancé, now—was there with him.

“How are you doing?” Levi asked softly, sitting next to Eren and running his fingers through the dark hair, scratching behind his ears. The dog whined, but not out of pain. “Do you want more medicine?” he gently lifted a wrist to check the bandages, noticing how they were healing normally. The dog might have scars, but otherwise his limbs worked fine. “Those fucking mutts are gonna pay.” He hissed under his breath.

Eren whined again, shuffling around to rest his head in Levi’s lap, curling up into a ball. Levi continued petting his head, waiting for Hanji to arrive.

***

It wasn’t long until a loud pounding on the door started up. Levi stood carefully, moving Eren’s head out of his lap. The dog pouted, watching him curiously as he opened the door.

“WHAT’S WRONG?” Hanji screamed, bursting through the opening. Eyes fell on Eren, and the scientist ran to the couch. “Oh no! Who did this to you?”

“I kept trying to call you, shitty glasses. Erwin too.” Levi replied.

“I was in the middle of an experiment and couldn’t have contact with the outside world.”

“You mean you forgot the outside world existed again.”

“Levi,” Hanji glanced up at him. “Tell me what happened.”

“The Military Police broke in the other night. They were after Eren. Then some wild shifters attacked him and I rushed him to the vet. Erwin’s taking care of the mess right now. Hanji, you have to tell me everything you know about his past.”

Hanji’s expression turned serious, looking back down at Eren. “I heard some rumors, but I didn’t think…so that’s what was going on.”

“Hanji. This is important.” Eren glanced between the two of them, curious yet wary. Levi looked at him pointedly. “He still won’t talk to me, either. The doctor didn’t think it was a problem, but I doubt it. Erwin doesn’t think the two attacks are related, but it could hurt the case he’s building up in Eren’s defense. They think he’s dangerous.”

“All shifters are capable of being dangerous. They may be domesticated pets, but they’re also part animal. Each one has the capacity for anything a human can do, from good to bad.” Hanji murmured.

Levi knelt next to the couch. “So tell me. Did you breed him as an experiment, or use him in any experiments? How did you get him?”

“I found him, as a pup.” Eren was pawing at Hanji, expression turning frightened, but the scientist rubbed his head, cooing in reassurance. “I took care of him for a while, but it was hard because of my work. I thought maybe you could do a better job, plus it looked like you could use a pet. I know Erwin works a lot, so I thought maybe you were lonely.”

“Hanji.” Levi growled. He didn’t need to hear a lecture.

Hanji sighed. “I also thought you could protect him. And he could protect you.”

“So you knew.”

Hanji nodded. “They were trying to hurt him, and he retaliated in kind. If the Military Police caught him, they would have put him down. None of the pet rescue shelters wanted him. I thought he had potential. I thought he could be used in the Scouting Legion.” Hanji paused, making sure Levi was keeping up. He nodded, urging Hanji to continue. “But he mellowed out. He wasn’t vicious, even though he was never friendly toward other dogs. I think it was shifters, or men trafficking shifters, who did this to him.”

“And his parents?”

“I have no idea, but I think they’re both dead. A wild got his mother. He was very young at the time.”

“So is he traumatized, and that’s why he won’t talk?” Levi asked.

Eren whined again, pawing at Hanji desperately. “Levi…”

“What?”

“Don’t worry about that right now, okay?” Something behind those glasses told him to leave it be for now. “I want to check his wounds. What did the vet say? Do you have the medical report? Medication?”

“Yeah, I’ll show you.” As Hanji began the inspection, Levi grabbed the vet papers off a counter in the kitchen, along with the medication and bandages they gave him. “They said he should be fine, just to change his bandages regularly and give him these pain meds. They’re already starting to heal.”

Hanji nodded, taking the papers and looking them over. Eren squirmed a bit, looking uncomfortable.

“This isn’t good, Levi.”

“What?” The suddenness of Hanji’s words caught him off guard. “Is he not healing properly?”

“That’s not it.” Hanji’s hands were over Eren’s belly, and he made whining sounds. “His skin is hot. Feel.”

Levi touched Eren’s stomach, who yelped and tried to wiggle away. “Is it a fever?”

“No, Levi. He’s going into Heat soon.” Levi blinked. Hanji sighed at his expression. “The recent events must have exacerbated the hormones and disrupted the natural process, unless you had something to do with it.”

“Me?” Levi exclaimed. “Wait, is this about the humping thing? And his almost aggressive affection? Dammit Hanji, I kept asking about that.”

“And I told you what needed to be done, but you obviously didn’t listen. The doctor should’ve noticed as well.” Hanji grumbled, flipping through the pages of the report. “Ah, yes, here it is. See?”

Levi took the page and stared at it.

_The stress and injuries involved could stimulate Heat, which was indicated during the first check-up. Take caution not to trigger this reaction while Eren is still injured, as it could damage the healing process._

“Shit.”

“What I don’t understand is why you haven’t done anything already. He’s been showing all the signs.” Hanji said. Eren was currently trying to bury his head in the couch cushions, face red.

“What signs?”

“It’s just like flirting. Although, it took you a while to realize Erwin was flirting with you at first, too…”

“What the hell am I supposed to do with this?” Levi scowled, pointing to the dog.

“Right now? Nothing. You have to wait until he heals, but when he does you have two options: Pleasure him yourself, or find someone else who will. If not, you won’t like the consequences.”

“…what consequences.”

“HOW THE FUCK DO YOU NOT KNOW THESE THINGS LEVI?” Hanji burst, but it held more humor than menace.

“Maybe you should’ve thought about that BEFORE SHOVING HIM ON ME!” Levi replied, unable to hold his anger in check. He was stressed, and pissed off, and worried, and needed Erwin, and Hanji was just making things worse by bringing this up.

Eren flinched, covering his ears and curling up further as they argued.

“I _told_ you, I thought he would be safe with you, and I thought you could use some company for when Erwin was away! If I knew you were shit with pets, I would have just kept him!”

“Well then why don’t you just take him back.” Levi snarled.

Hanji gasped, and Eren’s ears pricked up. The dog’s face turned in horror, and before they could stop him he scrambled off the couch and ran out of the room.

“You made him cry. Jerk.”

Levi sat down on the floor and rubbed his face. “I don’t need this shit right now.” He grumbled.

“You’ll need to apologize.”

“ _You_ need to explain to me exactly why you didn’t say anything about his past before. I think I had a right to know, especially since he’s pretending to be mute.” Hanji blinked. “Oh yeah, I know he understands me, and I _know_ he talks to other people. Nobody will tell me the truth, and it’s pissing me off!”

“Just calm down. You’re going to scare him. Look, it’s too late now anyway. He’s already bonded with you. Plus, I know you won’t admit it, but you like having him around. You’ve gotten a lot better since he’s been around.”

“I hate you.”

“Love you too~”

Levi sighed again, trying to compose himself. After a moment, he stood and plopped down on the couch next to his friend.

“Alright, so what else can you tell me?”

“I already told you everything, I promise.”

“So the reports about a dog attacking other people, they were about Eren?”

“Yes, but he’s not dangerous. It’s only when he’s provoked, and only toward other shifters. To be honest, I think the Military Police have a different motive for wanting him.”

“What do you mean?” Levi asked. What else could they want the dog for?

Hanji looked into his eyes, expression serious again. “I think they see what I saw in him, that potential. I think they want to use him for dog fighting.”

***

“Alright, since we don’t know when those jackasses will strike next, I’m bringing you to work with me from now on.” Levi told Eren. The dog looked wary but ready to comply. “I don’t think it’s safe for you to be home alone, especially with your injuries. Plus, I’m curious about the potential Hanji was talking about.”

Eren’s ears perked up and his tail gave a small wag. Levi frowned at him, crossing his arms. “You gonna say thank you or what? Come on, this silent act is getting old.”

Eren looked like he was about to shit his pants. His mouth opened, but only a whine escaped.

“I’ll give you an ice cream treat. Your favorite.”

Eren fidgeted, whining some more, legs twitching.

Levi patted his knees, taunting him. “Come on boy, speak. Come on! I know you can do it!”

Eren let out a low whine, close to a howl. Levi patted his knees again. Eren’s ears pinned back and the dog launched himself at his owner. Levi had a moment of shock before he was tackled to the ground. Before he could think of a counterattack, he felt Eren nuzzling his chest.

“Thank you.” He heard the dog mutter.

“Fucking _knew_ you could talk!” Levi swore as Eren hid himself in his neck.

***

Eren was excited during the car trip to the Scouting Legion headquarters, staring out of the window and squirming in his seat.

“Quit taking your seatbelt off!” Levi hissed, slapping the dog’s wrist as he went to unlatch the belt. The dog whined. “I don’t _care_ if it’s uncomfortable, I’m not about to get pulled over because you want to stick half your body out of the window.” Eren made an affronted sound. “We’re almost there, just sit still.”

Levi couldn’t get Eren to say anything else, but he took the two word admission as a good sign. After checking his wounds again and making sure he was clean, they got in the car and were on their way.

“Here we are. Now, there will be other shifters around, but you need to behave. Got it? I don’t want to have the Military Police sniffing around here. Don’t wander off, don’t leave my side, and absolutely _no_ sniffing butts.”

He received another affronted sound from the dog, who gave him a disgusted look. Levi parked and got out, watching as Eren scrambled out and looked around, tail wagging.

“I swear if I need to put a leash on you…” Levi muttered. Eren’s ears were laid back. The owner gestured to his side and Eren hurried over. Levi nodded and marched into the base.

“Hey, look who it is!” a soldier called, coming up to them. Eren immediately pinned his ears back and growled, baring his teeth. The soldier put his hands up. “Woahhhh…easy there.”

“Jean what the fuck?” Levi asked.

“You need to calm your dog down.” The horse-faced soldier joked.

“Excuse me?” The Captain’s eyes narrowed, reminding the soldier who he was talking to.

“I mean, please don’t let him bite me…sir.” Jean’s expression switched to compliance.

Eren was snarling, crouching into a pounce. “Eren.” Levi’s voice induced a change in the dog, who straightened and glanced to him, ears up again. Levi glanced to Jean and raised an eyebrow.

“What?” Jean exclaimed. Eren growled at him again.

“What is your problem with pets?”

“ _I’m_ not the one with the problem.” Eren’s lip curled up, showing his fangs.

“I’m gonna call bullshit on that.”

“Good morning sir. Oh, is that Eren?” a small blond asked, walking up to them. The dog turned to the new arrival and smiled, tail wagging.

“Really Armin? Why does he like you and not me?” Jean scoffed, looking offended.

“I told you, you have a negative aura and they can sense it.” Armin replied.

“Pfffft.” Jean rolled his eyes, turning away.

“Arlert, do you have those reports?” Levi asked, walking toward his office.

Armin kept up with him. “Yes sir, right here.” He handed over the papers. Eren walked close to him, examining the blond playfully. Armin smiled, petting his hair, and Eren bumped his nose into the soldier’s palm. “He’s cute.” Armin giggled.

Levi glanced up from his reports to watch them interacting. “Yeah, uh huh.” He muttered, sitting in his chair and reading the shitty papers with a sigh.

His eyes shot back up when he heard a loud _snap!_ followed by a shriek from Armin. Eren was playing with his straps, pulling on them and letting go, and Armin was half-laughing, half-screaming on the floor.

“Arlert.”

“Y-Yes sir?” he said amidst giggles as Eren tried to lick his face, tail wagging enthusiastically.

“Do you have somewhere you need to be?” Levi prompted with an eyebrow.

“Oh, um, yes sir…sorry sir.” Armin scrambled up and Eren tried to follow, latching onto his arm.

“Eren, you stay.” Levi ordered. The dog whined, tail and ears drooping as he stood inside the doorway and watched Armin leave, who waved back at him with a smile. “I told you to behave. Armin is one of my subordinates, so don’t mess with him, alright?” Eren yipped in response, coming around to his desk and attempting to climb into his lap. “Hey! Stop that! What did I tell you? Dammit Jaeger!”

Eren was nuzzling into his chest, trying to sneak a few licks onto his neck, when Mikasa knocked softly on the partly open door. Levi pushed Eren off, who landed on the ground and whined, pawing at him. Levi sighed, rubbing his face.

“Yes, Ackerman?”

“Armin said you brought the dog.” She stated.

Levi glared down at Eren, whose tail thumped against the ground. “Yeah. I actually have a favor to ask you.”

“You want me to train him too?”

“Yeah. Since you did well with the others and Krista has her hands full with Ymir.”

“I understand. What’s his name? Or should I be addressing him?” Mikasa asked, coming further into the room and peering around the desk at Eren. The dog sniffed the air, catching her scent, and looked at her over the top of the desk.

“Eren, but you can call him Jaeger when giving orders. And you can try to talk to him, but he’s pretty selective on who he speaks with.” Levi said, eyeing Eren.

“Eren?” Mikasa spoke to the dog. Eren’s ears perked up and his tail wagged a bit. Levi watched, curious. “I’m Mikasa. I work with your owner. Would you mind if I trained you today?”

Eren glanced at Levi, who nodded and gestured for him to go over to her. The dog stood and walked around the desk to stand in front of her, still sniffing.

“So he doesn’t like to talk?” she asked, letting the dog circle around her.

“He doesn’t talk to _me_ , but he’s a chatty Cathy with everyone else.” Levi muttered.

Mikasa gave a small smile and reached out to Eren, who paused and let her touch his cheek. “He’s cute.”

“Armin said the same thing.”

“You don’t think he’s cute?” Mikasa asked casually, stroking the dog’s hair. Eren turned to look at Levi expectantly, who glanced up and shrugged.

“Is Levi a big meanie? Hmm?” Mikasa cooed, chuckling at the annoyed expression the Captain gave her. Eren snickered.

“Just train him, Ackerman.” He growled, shooing them out.

She smiled, leading Eren out of the room. The dog glanced back hesitantly, but Levi was engrossed in his paperwork.

“Come on, I can teach you how to fight and show you around the base.” Mikasa told him. Eren followed her. “If Annie were here, she could help, but she’s not feeling well so I left her at home. Maybe Krista will let Ymir teach you some things.”

Eren’s ears perked up at all the names. She glanced at him as they walked. His eyes roamed the base, and he seemed friendly to everyone who passed by—except Jean, who he still growled at and tried to claw his face off when he got too close to Mikasa.

“So you don’t talk to Levi?” she asked suddenly when they got to the training field. Eren stiffened, glancing at her. He shook his head. “Why? Is he actually mean to you?”

“No!” Eren exclaimed, then snapped his mouth shut. Mikasa waited until he worked up the nerve to speak again. “Just…nervous.”

“But you’ll talk to other people?”

“Yes. I talk to Erwin, and…the doctor.”

“That’s good. Have you told them how you feel about Levi?”

Eren blushed, fidgeting with his shirt. She ruffled his hair and he ducked his head. “Yes…” he said eventually. “But I can’t tell him. Hanji…”

“Oh? You know Hanji too?”

“Hanji found me when I was younger and took care of me until Levi became my owner.” Eren explained.

Mikasa nodded, putting the pieces together. She and the scientist discussed the dog extensively since he first appeared. “But you like him, right?” Eren nodded. “He _is_ intimidating…I guess. Maybe Armin can help you talk to him. He’s good at that stuff. As for me, I’ll make you a soldier.”

“Soldier?” Eren tilted his head to the side.

“Yes. We have shifters in the military, usually owned by a soldier or high-ranking officer, although they are all free to join of their own will. I think Levi wants to see if you can be a soldier like him.” She scanned the training field, then pointed. “There they are, that’s Krista and Ymir. See how they work together?”

Eren looked where she was pointing to see a small blonde woman sparring with a taller, dark-haired shifter. He gave a small growl.

“You don’t like other shifters?” Mikasa asked, walking over to them anyway. Eren shook his head, following at a distance. “Maybe he wants to fix that too.”

“Hey Mikasa. Who is this?” Krista greeted, smiling. Ymir frowned, getting in between them. The dogs snarled at each other, getting into defensive positions. “Oh Ymir, stop that.” Krista poked her.

“This is the Captain’s dog, Jaeger. He wants me to train him, but he doesn’t work well with shifters, I guess.” Mikasa answered, watching Eren bare his fangs at Ymir, glaring.

“She’s not good with others either.” Krista laughed. “But what are those?” she pointed to the bandages on Eren’s neck and arms.

“I think…that was from the attack.” Mikasa murmured. Eren’s growl stuttered as he glanced at her. Ymir narrowed her eyes at the wounds.

“No wonder he doesn’t like other dogs! Didn’t the Commander say they were wild? And the Military Police attacked them too, right?” Krista said, pushing Ymir away as she tried to advance against Eren.

Mikasa nodded and turned to him. “Jaeger.” The dog stopped growling and looked at her expectantly. “Do you want to train with Ymir? You don’t have to, but I know Captain Levi will be happy if you try.”

Eren considered, glancing at Ymir while Krista was trying to calm her down. “If she doesn’t try to kill me.” he muttered.

“Don’t worry, Ymir will play _nice_ , and spar like she does with the others. Right, Ymir?” Krista prodded her, tone stern.

“Tch. Tell that brat to have some respect for his elders.” Ymir spoke. Krista smacked her arm. “Fine. I’ll go easy on him.” Her tone was protective as she stepped forward.

“Jaeger, please try to stay calm. This is just for practice, okay? She won’t hurt you unless she thinks you’re a threat.” Mikasa told him as he walked toward Ymir. The dog turned, nodding.

Ymir threw the first punch, with Eren jumping away to dodge. She kept pressing the attack, but her movements were different from a human’s, more primal and instinctive. He was used to this kind of fighting, but held back as he was told. A crowd was forming around them, watching. Eren was a bit out of practice, and Mikasa could tell he did the real fighting when protecting himself or someone else.

“Eren, how did you fight when those wilds attacked you? How did you defend Levi when the Military Police broke in?” she asked.

“Ymir, don’t let him come after me.” Krista added, noticing Mikasa’s tactic. They were trying to induce the dogs’ protective instincts and put more pressure on the fighting.

Eren’s eyes flashed, locking on Ymir as an enemy as he launched forward, claws striking. Ymir let out a snarl and lunged. Their hands locked together, nails digging into skin, as they tried to overpower each other. Ymir kicked at his stomach and he tried to back away, but her grip held too tight for him to break. She moved forward, pushing him back and out of balance. He turned sideways as they fell, kicking back at her stomach. They laid on the ground, hands still locked, kicking at each other and growling. Ymir attempted to turn Eren on his back and they ended up rolling around in the circle formed around them.

“Easy, Ymir.” Krista called.

“Take her out, Jaeger.” Mikasa said.

“Hey, shouldn’t they be more careful?” Krista asked, looking at the fight worriedly.

“I want to see what he can do.” Mikasa replied, crossing her arms.

The snarling and rolling got more aggressive. Cries of pain came from the ball of writhing limbs on the ground. Mikasa noticed one of Eren’s bandages was torn open, revealing the bloody wound. Ymir was attacking those vulnerable points, shredding the protective covers and re-opening them.

“I said play _nice_ , Ymir!” Krista yelled. She turned to Mikasa. “We need to stop them before things get out of hand. I don’t think the Captain will be happy if she rips his dog to shreds.”

“Eren…”

The fight changed sharply. Eren was defending himself from Ymir, trying to protect his wounds, until suddenly he threw himself at her, pinning her down and howling in her face. He looked completely different from before, eyes even shifting to a yellow-ish color. Ymir looked pissed, snarling at him and snapping her jaws, trying to latch onto his neck.

“There it is.” Mikasa whispered, nodding to herself. “Enough, both of you. Jaeger, get off.”

“Ymir, back down.” Krista ordered, noticing the glint in Mikasa’s eyes. She saw what Mikasa was referring to in Eren.

The dogs grudgingly de-tangled themselves from each other, standing and brushing the dirt off their clothing. Krista grabbed Ymir’s arm to keep her from attacking again.

“You’ll pay for that.” She snarled at Eren.

The dog glared at her, ears still pinned back, but Mikasa laid a hand on his shoulder. “You did very well. I’d love to see what you can do in your other form, but your wounds need to heal first. Come on, let’s get you cleaned up.”

She pulled and he allowed himself to be dragged away, still shooting glares at the other dog, but beginning to calm. The crowd muttered in approval. Ymir was still unhappy about the results.

“You cheated, playing dirty like that by going after his wounds.” Krista frowned, poking at her playfully.

“I wasn’t trained to fight fair.” Ymir countered with a smirk.

***

“What happened?” Armin asked when he saw Eren.

“I let him spar with Ymir.” Mikasa told him, cleaning the wounds the other dog re-opened.

“The Captain will get mad at you.” He muttered, rubbing Eren’s back comfortingly.

“He told me to train him, that’s what I’m doing.” She shrugged. Eren licked Armin’s hand, tail wagging. “Hey, Armin…”

“Hm?” Armin scratched behind Eren’s ears, who hummed and leaned closer to him.

“You should teach him how to woo the Captain.”

Mikasa’s words had Eren nearly falling over and Armin blushing, blinking rapidly. “W-What?”

“He’s going into Heat soon. I can tell by the way he fought with Ymir. You know how stubborn the Captain is.”

Eren whined at her, trying to hide his face in Armin’s shirt. “Why me?”

She shrugged again. “You’re better at romance than I am. Plus, you’re good with strategies. I thought you could help.”

“Well…I can try.” Armin said, rubbing Eren’s back again. “What do you think, Eren?” The dog glanced up at him meekly. “You’re so cute, I don’t know how the Captain doesn’t see it.”

“Stubborn.” Mikasa stated. Eren nodded.

“Alright, I’ll think of something.”

***

“How did the training go? Did he listen? He didn’t try to hump you, did he?” Levi questioned when she brought the dog back to his office.

“It went well. I had him spar with Ymir.” She answered.

“You did what.”

“He’s fine, I re-bandaged the wounds. I can see what Hanji meant.”

Levi sighed, gesturing for Eren to come to him. The dog complied happily, tail wagging as he crawled into Levi’s lap again, licking his face. Levi ignored it as he checked the wounds on his arm and neck.

“Who won?” he asked absently, checking for other wounds or bruises.

“He did.”

Levi stopped, looking up at her and then back down at Eren. The dog gave him a sheepish grin, nuzzling him.

“Oh, and he’s going into Heat soon, so you should take care of that.” She threw over her shoulder as she walked away.

“Ugh!” Levi leaned back in his chair, rubbing his face. Eren wrapped his arms around him in a hug, shifting in the chair to straddle the Captain. “Eren…” The dog’s tail wagged as he looked into Levi’s steel eyes with a hopeful expression. “Get off.”

Eren blinked, titling his head to the side. Levi narrowed his eyes, pushing lightly on his chest. The dog glanced down and then scrambled backward, hitting the desk and wincing before his feet hit the floor.

“S-Sorry…” Eren whispered, rubbing his tailbone where it hit the desk.

Levi didn’t think of how Eren looked for those brief moments in his lap, back against the desk. Nope. Not one bit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: Slowly but surely. Guess what happens in the next chapter? I’m still deciding on a scene between Eren and Jean, because on one hand it kind of escalates the ereri build, but on the other it’s straying onto a dangerous path I at least try to avoid when possible. Hm. We’ll see.


	6. Some Like It Hot

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Even the Survey Corps isn't safe for the dog shifter. Eren goes in Heat, and Levi has to make a decision.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: Pffft. I don’t own Attack on Titan.
> 
> Warning: Heat. No seriously shit gets heavy for this chapter.
> 
> Fuck it I’m going there with the Erejean thing.

The next day, Eren was excited to go to work with Levi. The Captain was a bit wary, given what happened yesterday, but he couldn’t deny the large eyes and wagging tail in front of the door. Plus, he hoped keeping Eren busy with training would prevent him from going into Heat because he was too chicken-shit to deal with it. He hoped he could stall for as long as possible until he could figure out what to do, despite everyone’s warning against waiting.

Levi kept glancing at Eren in the car, looking for any signs of his dog being horny. So far, all was well. The dog didn’t try to hump him in his sleep—at least as far as he knew—so he felt safe for now. He needed to talk to Erwin.

***

“You want to dump him on me again today, sir?” Mikasa asked when they walked into the base. At Levi’s scowl, she gave a small smile. “I’d be happy to train him again.” Eren jumped on her, barking excitedly and trying to lick her face. “Would you like that Eren?”

“No sparring with Ymir. Just teach him some basic moves and put him through the course. He still needs to heal.” Levi ordered, pointing at her.

She gave a salute as he walked away. “Yes Captain.”

“Quit mocking me!”

***

“Okay Jaeger, get into a fighting stance.” Mikasa said. Eren put his fists up, feet apart, knees bent. She walked around him, checking his posture. “Good. Now jab forward.” His arm shot out, turning as he struck. “Don’t completely extend. Keep your elbow slightly bent or else you’ll break your arm.” She instructed.

“Hey Mikasa!” Krista called, running over to them. “How are you doing today, Jaeger?”

Eren smiled at her, getting out of his stance, and yipped.

“The Captain said he wasn’t allowed to spar today, so if Ymir is looking for a rematch she’ll have to wait.” Mikasa said.

“I figured as much. I just wanted to make sure he was doing okay with his injuries.” Krista replied, tussling his hair. He closed his eyes, humming.

“He’s healing pretty quickly. I’m more concerned about something else the Captain is neglecting…”

Eren whined at her.

“What is it? He looks pretty healthy, although…” Krista began, putting a finger to her chin and looking closely at the shifter. “Is he close to Heat? Is that why he got really violent with Ymir yesterday? That would explain her hostile reaction to him.”

“Yeah, but the Captain is in denial.” Mikasa nodded. Eren looked away in embarrassment.

“That’s not good. Does he realize what will happen?”

“Probably not as much as he should. He’s already been told multiple times, but he just won’t listen. I’m not really sure why.” She looked at Eren and brushed some hair out of his face. “He’s cute, friendly, energetic…I know he’s dating the Commander but I didn’t think he was so strict.”

“I thought Eren would be more his type than the Commander…has he thought of a mate?”

The shifter whined again, pawing at them. “Oh shush. Feel free to weigh in if you want.” Mikasa told him. Eren shook his head.

“Too shy to make a move? C’mon, you live with Levi, you know where he sleeps and showers and shits.” Krista said, surprising Eren. “It’s obvious you’re in love with him.”

“Not to the Captain. And I don’t know if he’s asked anyone or looked into finding Eren a mate. I wouldn’t mind asking Annie, but you know how she is. They might not get along.”

“Yeah, and Ymir doesn’t like males. Plus she refuses to be with anyone but me during Heat.”

Eren sniffed the air, smelling food, and took a few steps toward the other building. He glanced back, watching Krista and Mikasa discuss his sexual appetite with each other. While they were distracted with conversation, he darted away, following his nose.

Mikasa showed him the dining area yesterday, so the place was familiar when he walked in. Licking his lips, he went straight for the kitchen.

“Hey there, buddy.” Jean greeted him with a smile. The dog’s ears laid back against his head as he growled. “Damn, you still don’t like me, huh?” the soldier frowned. Eren noticed the tray of food he was holding and the growling died down. “Oh, you want this?” Jean moved the tray in Eren’s face, teasing him.

The dog barked, swiping at the tray, which was moved out of his reach. He growled again, baring his teeth. There weren’t a lot of people in the dining room, and the ones who were didn’t seem to care that Jean was being backed into the hallway by an angry shifter.

“Hey, get your own! This is mine, you bully.” Jean scolded, trying to keep the tray of food away from the dog’s greedy hands. The dog barked again, low, and crouched down, preparing for a pounce.

“Did you hear that?” someone whispered in an adjacent hall.

“That’s what he sounded like!” another exclaimed. He was shushed and the voices grew quiet, but Eren picked up the sound of footsteps coming closer.

Eren growled now at the intruders, sniffing the air. Jean looked confused, glancing around to see who was talking. They both glanced around the corner. “Military Police? What are _they_ doing here?”

“There he is! That’s the dog who tore my arm off!” one of the men shouted, pointing at Eren. The dog bared his teeth, ready to attack, but Jean dropped his tray to grab Eren by the arm, dragging him away when a rifle appeared in the other Military Police member’s hand.

“Come on, we gotta run!” Eren tried to get out of his grip, wanting to rip their flesh with his teeth and claw their faces off. They ran into a small room and Jean shoved him into the closet, getting inside and closing the door. They heard footsteps running by and waited. After a moment, they heard the footsteps returning and the door to the room opening.

Jean put his hand over Eren’s mouth, knowing he was risking losing his hand. The dog was still struggling, so Jean had to restrain him before their position was found out.

“He has to be here.”

“Someone already saw us, they’ll tell Levi or Erwin.”

“This is our only chance! I want my revenge.”

“Use the whistle.”

Jean was holding Eren close to him, one hand over his mouth to stifle the growls, another around his waist and keeping his arms locked between them. He couldn’t stop Eren’s ears from perking up when a sharp, high-pitched sound reached them. Jean could barely hear it, but he knew it was like a siren to the dog. Eren winced, squirming. Jean held tighter.

“Maybe he’s not in here. He would’ve come running.”

They heard howling outside from the other shifters and ran out of the room.

Jean held onto Eren for a few more minutes, making sure they were gone. Even then, he only loosened his grip. “Well, looks like they were after you.” He said as they stepped out of the closet. He still had a grip on Eren, who looked around warily, growling slightly. Jean was smirking at him. “You should thank me for saving your ass.”

Eren glanced at him, half-glaring.

“Hmmm…how about a kiss? You’re a cutie, and I bet you’re all bark and no bite.” Jean suggested, leaning close. Eren bared his fangs, growling deeper. “Hey, they might hear you and come back. C’mon, just a little smooch and I’ll leave you alone.” Jean whispered.

Eren looked around, hyperaware of how close Jean was getting. He held back a whine as his skin grew hot at the contact, body reacting to Jean’s scent. He knew he was close to Heat—too close—to really control his body’s response. Turning to face Jean, he allowed the soldier to close the distance, lips connecting.

Jean’s hand moved to the back of Eren’s head, keeping them together as his thumb rubbed against his neck. The dog gasped, melting into Jean’s body as his mouth opened in a pant. Jean took advantage, deepening the kiss with his tongue. They pressed against each other, Eren clinging to him.

“What the fuck is going on here?” Levi yelled from the doorway.

Eren shrieked and jumped away from Jean, wiping his mouth. Jean, for his part, had the nerve to look surprised. “Um…I rescued him from the Military Police.”

“That didn’t look like a rescue attempt, Kirstein…” Levi growled, stalking forward. The shifter watched his movements carefully.

“I just…he was thanking me for…they were just here!”

Levi glanced at Eren and knew something was wrong. The dog looked weak, panting and sitting on the ground, staring at him hungrily with tears in his eyes. “I’ll deal with you later.” He told Jean. “Come on, Eren. Let’s go home.” he held a hand for the dog, who leapt into his arms. Levi carried Eren down the hall.

Mikasa approached. “Sir, what’s wrong? He was only out of my sight for a few minutes, I thought he was just getting some food…I…” she said, trailing off.

“I need to take him home. Search the entire base for the Military Police. They were after Eren. Detain Kirstein too and question him.” Levi ordered.

“Yes sir!” Mikasa went in the direction Levi indicated, pulling Jean out of the room and calling to a few other soldiers.

***

Eren squirmed, whining in the car as he clawed at his seatbelt. He was breathing heavily and dripping with sweat.

“Hold on Eren, we’re almost there.” Levi said, keeping an eye on him as he drove. He didn’t know what he was going to do once they got home. He would probably have to call Erwin or Hanji. “I’m sorry.” He whispered.

He pulled into the parking spot and got out of the car, walking around to the passenger side where Eren was curled up against the door. He pulled the shifter out, carrying him inside.

“You’re…burning…” Levi muttered, setting him down on the couch. The dog clung to him, whimpering and panting. Levi tried to tug his arm away, wanting to be far away from the dog in that moment, but Eren pulled him down. Before he realized what was happening, Eren was wrapping his arms and legs around him, rubbing himself against Levi’s side.

“Eren! Get off, let go!” Levi pushed the dog away, who continued humping him, trying to bite his neck, nails digging into his shoulder. As Levi tried to lean away, he ended up falling against the couch with Eren on top of him. “Jaeger!” he yelled, trying to get the dog’s attention. Eren kept trying to get closer, mouthing at any part of Levi he could get at. He was already moaning, yearning for Levi’s touch.

Levi managed to scramble away, out of Eren’s grip, who slipped as he tried to follow him. Soon he was being chased through the house and wound up locking Eren in the bathroom.

“Shit!” he yelled, running a hand through his hair. His heart was racing madly and he was breathing heavily, hands shaking. He didn’t know what to do and it frightened him. Eren was in pain, howling and scratching at the door. Levi had to block it so Eren couldn’t just turn the knob and leap out at him. He paced the apartment, hands in his hair, eyes squeezed shut as he tried to come up with a solution. Groaning, he knew what he had to do.

“Hanji, I need your help.”

He heard his friend sigh on the other end of the line. “ _What did you do now?_ ”

“It’s Eren…”

“ _What’s wrong? Is he not healing properly?_ ” Hanji asked, tone more concerned than a moment ago.

“The Military Police came to the base today and were after Eren. I think…something happened and now…” Levi wasn’t sure how to phrase it, so he trailed off.

“ _IS HE STILL ALIVE? LEVI TALK TO ME! WHAT HAPPENED TO LITTLE EREN BOO?_ ” Hanji screeched.

Levi winced, pulling the phone away. “He’s alive, you idiot! But he’s in Heat now. Kirstein was making out with him, got him all hot and bothered, and now I can’t stop him!”

There was silence on the other line, and Levi wondered if Hanji hung up to drive over. After a moment of wondering whether he should speak up, he heard loud laughter.

“ _He’s trying to hump you again, isn’t he?_ ”

“He did, but I locked him in the bathroom. I think he’s destroying it though.”

“ _Leviiii! What did I tell you? Go have sex with the poor thing before goes nuts!_ ” Hanji yelled.

“I think we’re passed that point. I need your help.”

“ _Shit, you done fucked up now._ _You know what to do.”_

“I am _not_ going to fuck my _dog_ , Hanji. I have a boyfriend! A fiancé! A hot, unbearably distant fiancé who I wish was here right now because…”

“ _Levi…_ ”

“No. _No_ , Hanji.”

“ _Call Erwin._ ”

“NO!”

“ _CALL HIM OR I WILL!_ ”

“DAMMIT HANJI!” Levi hung up, throwing his phone on the couch and sitting down with his head in his hands. He sighed, taking a few deep breaths, then picked up the device again. He stared at the screen, listening to Eren whine and keen and make a mess of the bathroom.

He scrolled through his contacts and pushed the call button. When a smooth voice answered, he said, “Erwin, I need you.”

***

Erwin shook his head and sighed, closing his eyes. “Why did you wait so long?”

“Shut up.” Levi grumbled, pouting on the couch.

“You’re being immature.”

Levi glared at him. He was clearly uncomfortable and upset, but Erwin was being too stern. He wanted Levi to learn from this.

“You don’t have to do this…actually, I don’t think I _want_ you to do this.” Levi mumbled.

“You should’ve thought of that a week ago, when he first started showing symptoms. You waited too long.” Erwin told him, crossing his arms.

Levi groaned, leaning his head back. “You know I’m not good at this shit, Erwin.” He whined.

“I’ll take him back to my apartment for a few days. You know this will put the investigation on hold until I can get back. You’ll have to work it while I’m gone.”

“Nooooo.”

“Levi.”

“Fine.” Levi growled, not making eye contact. “Just…be careful. Give him what he wants until he’s normal again…and then come back to me.”

“Levi, it’s not like I’m cheating on you, doing this. He’s a shifter, he has needs which you’ve been neglecting. I wouldn’t be mad at you if—,”

“It’s not going to happen, Erwin. I don’t trust him like I trust you.”

They glared at each other, Erwin winning after a few minutes. He walked to the bathroom door, pushing aside the furniture Levi piled in front of it. As soon as the obstacles were removed, Eren burst through the door, jumping on Erwin and crying loudly. It took him a while to notice it was Erwin carrying him away, and not Levi whose arms he was in. He looked confused, but grateful, glancing at Levi on the couch, head buried in his hands and shoulders hunched, as Erwin walked out of the door.

“Shit…” Levi seethed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: I lied you get the smut in the next chapter. If you guys have any suggestions or ideas for scenes of future chapters just let me know here or on tumblr! I have everything planned up to a certain point and then it’s up to fate and the wild blue yonder.


	7. Some Feel the Heat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Erwin helps Eren through his Heat. That's it that's the chapter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: Song lyrics from Robert Palmer because I can’t help myself. Isayama owns Attack on Titan.
> 
> Warning: Okay here’s the Eruren smut you’ve all been anxiously waiting for.

Eren was curled into a ball on the couch, with Erwin patting his back. “I’m sorry your owner is a coward.” He murmured. The dog shifter whined in response, shaking and sweating. “I know it’s not the same, but I’m willing to offer myself as a substitute, if you don’t mind.” The dog’s ears perked up. “After all, we always end up cuddling in the morning when I spend the night.” Erwin smiled, watching Eren uncurl and stare up at him with wide eyes.

“You…” Eren began, unsure. “You’ll participate in Heat with me?”

“Yes, if you’re comfortable with that.” Eren nodded vigorously. Erwin chuckled, stroking Eren’s hair and leaning in. “Just let me know what you like and anything you prefer not to do.”

“I…haven’t really…it’s my first Heat.” Eren whispered timidly.

“Oh?” Erwin grinned, remembering all the times Hanji rambled on about shifters and Heat. He was glad for once that he paid attention. The dog shifter blushed, hiding his face. Erwin smiled, lifting Eren’s chin with a finger. “Hey, don’t worry. I’ll take care of you.”

He could feel the hot skin on his fingertip, and saw Eren’s eyes glazed over as the Heat overtook him. The dog whined as Erwin’s fingers slid down his neck, lightly teasing his collarbone. He leaned forward, brushing his lips against skin, and Eren shuddered. He quickly picked Eren up and carried him to the bedroom before things got too far.

Laying the dog down, Erwin opened a bedside drawer and took out the necessary accessories for sex: lube and condoms. Eren was squirming on the sheets, clothes sticking to sweaty skin. Erwin put his knee on the bed and bent down, lifting Eren’s shirt over the dog’s head, who shuddered again at the cool air. His nipples were already tightening, goose bumps scattered on his skin.

Erwin undressed swiftly, watching Eren closely. He wanted to take this slow, be gentle, but he could already tell the Heat was too strong and they would end up getting rough. Plus, he wasn’t sure how dominant Eren would be during the process. The way Hanji explained it, Heat could make a dog submissive or dominant, depending on the partner, the dog’s preferences, how much control they had, and other environmental factors.

He figured he would test the boundaries first, get his feet wet before jumping in. Eren wasn’t in complete control of himself at the moment, so Erwin had to be careful not to frighten or take advantage of him in this state.

The dog was tugging at his pants, trying to pull them off. Erwin helped, and Eren sighed in relief. The blond leaned down further, positioning himself over Eren, keeping his legs on either side of the shifter’s hips.

“Eren, are you ready?” he asked softly. The dog merely whined again, reaching for him. Erwin kissed him on the lips, tentative at first, but Eren pushed them closer, opening his mouth and biting Erwin’s lip. He was caught off-guard for a moment, then took control of the kiss.

Eren writhed beneath him, clawing at his back. Erwin felt slick skin rubbing against his own with the shifter’s every movement. He wrapped an arm around Eren, holding him, and the dog arched, nearly bending in half to make their bodies meet. Erwin made a sound deep in his throat that Eren responded to immediately with one of his own.

A challenge for dominance.

Erwin looked him in the eye, and Eren didn’t back down. The color changed to yellow, and he seemed like a different person—powerful, intimidating, and ferocious. This must have been the side of Eren who attacked those Military Police thugs and fought the wilds who attacked him. Erwin wasn’t a pushover, however. He was used to being on top and in control. Rolling his hips to make his point, he leaned in to bite Eren on the neck.

The dog howled, kicking and flailing. Clearly it was a sensitive area. Erwin didn’t want to hurt him, so he let go and licked the area for reassurance. Eren bared his teeth and struck forward, biting Erwin back.

“Hey!” the deep, commanding voice subdued the dog only slightly, who held on with both teeth and limbs, wrapping himself around Erwin tightly. The Commander wouldn’t give up, however. He wrestled Eren until he was pinned to the bed. “Easy. We’re doing this my way for now.” He told the dog, who narrowed his eyes but began to relax.

Erwin smiled. “That’s better.” He murmured, kissing Eren’s neck and listening to the keens and moans the action elicited. He spread the dog’s legs, dipping his fingers into the lube and coating them. Gently, he poked at Eren’s hole, testing for resistance. The dog yipped out of surprise and arousal. Erwin pressed his thumb against the whole, pushing, and Eren arched again, claws digging into his shoulder.

“Shhhhh, relax now.” Erwin whispered in his ear, and he felt the shifter submit. One finger edged inside, slowly, carefully. The dog let out a long, high-pitched whine. The finger curled, poking at the walls inside, letting Eren adjust. He placed soft kisses along his collarbone, jawline, and cheek.

The dog nuzzled his neck, encouraging him to go further, lightly nipping anywhere he could reach. Erwin slid another finger in, keeping it close to the first and feeling Eren tighten around him. The dog squirmed, eyes squeezed shut. After a moment Erwin moved his fingers apart, scissoring. The shifter jerked, eyes opening with a gasp, neck bared. Erwin went for it, kissing and sucking on it as his fingers moved inside Eren, drawing out moans and squeaks.

He inserted another finger, quicker with Eren’s desperate panting and clawing. The shifter’s legs clenched around him, trying to draw him in further, hands still gripping Erwin’s shoulder and back. Eren started biting again and Erwin flexed his fingers, spreading them as wide as they could go. The dog made sounds he never heard from a human’s throat before, writhing again.

It was so hot, he was sweating and could practically see the steam rising from their bodies. Eren was a furnace, Erwin’s fingers burning. He took a deep breath before aligning himself. Eren relaxed when he felt the tip of Erwin’s cock press against his hole, rubbing the rim. He howled again when it entered him. Erwin groaned at the scalding heat that sent a jolt through his body, forehead pressed into Eren’s neck, eyes closed and lips parted as he breathed out.

He moved slowly at first, going in a little and pulling out, feeling Eren pulsate around him. He was bigger than three of his fingers, but the shifter demanded more. His legs were wrapped around Erwin’s hips, squeezing, pushing him in farther. Erwin went in more each time, making the dog feel like he was being teased when really he just didn’t want to hurt him. Soon neither of them could handle the agonizing pace and sped up.

Erwin knew when he hit Eren’s prostrate when he started barking wildly, howling and keening with frantic limbs. His hand shot down to his own dick, squeezing it, but Erwin pushed the hand away. “Now, now, no need for that.” His own hand took over, surrounding Eren’s cock and pumping in time with his thrusts.

The dog thrashed, licking at his jaw, cheek, neck, shoulder. Erwin found the right angle and kept ramming in, hoping his neighbors couldn’t hear the yowling created by each thrust. Eren’s legs were moved onto his shoulders, where they hung limply, thighs occasionally spasming and twitching.

At the height of his climax, Erwin gave a throaty yell, while Eren practically _screamed_. It was the most human sound he made all night, taking Erwin by surprise, but afterward his tongue was lolling out of his mouth while his eyes held a dazed and utterly satisfied expression. Erwin smirked down at him, pulling out slowly and collapsing beside him on the bed. They lay there, chests heaving, bodies tingling, for a few minutes.

“Feeling better?” Erwin asked, turning onto his side to examine the shifter’s condition. Eren didn’t speak, instead he turned lazily, still panting. His arms had fallen around his head, and Erwin could see blood beneath his fingernails, feeling the sting of his scratches. “I didn’t hurt you, did I?”

Eren flopped over onto his side, facing Erwin, arms curling up against his chest. His eyes drifted closed, expression calm. Erwin watched him fall asleep and brushed some hair out of his eyes.

***

If Erwin thought it would only take one good fuck to end Eren’s Heat, he was mistaken. A few minutes into the dog’s bath after he woke up, Eren was trying to mount him. He practically dragged the taller man into the tub with him, flipped them, and began rutting.

“Hey, what are you doing?” Erwin scolded. “I’m trying to get you clean. Are you saying you want more?”

Eren answered him with a kiss that involved more teeth than tongue. He was more aggressive, and Erwin had a feeling he wouldn’t back down this time. Water splashed onto the tile floor of his bathroom. Erwin tried to push Eren off, but the dog was surprisingly strong in his state.

He received a growl for his efforts, low and warning. When Erwin narrowed his eyes and tried to pry Eren’s hands off his arms, the dog bared his fangs and made a more vicious sound, snarling. Every time Erwin tried to take control, to push Eren away or attempt to switch their positions, Eren tightened his grip and snarled threateningly.

“No need to be so mean, if you want to go again we can, but you have to let me.” Erwin said in a calm, soothing voice.

Eren barked at him, as if disagreeing with something he said. His face was determined, stern, not angry but dangerous. He wanted to top this time. Erwin frowned, preferring to give rather than receive, but there was no arguing with a dog in Heat.

The shifter didn’t bother with lube, probably not thinking about its benefits even though Erwin tried to explain that the reason why he was trying to get out of the tub was to get the bottle and condoms.

“I’m coming back, I just need to get some things. Eren!” the dog wouldn’t let him leave, clinging and growling. “You’re being difficult.” The shifter made a low whine, barking. Erwin sighed and laid back against the tub. Eren leaned forward and latched onto Erwin’s collarbone, taking skin between his teeth and biting down hard. Erwin hissed, gripping the sides of the tub until his knuckles turned white.

The shifter didn’t prep him or anything, just lined himself up and shoved in, moving recklessly. Erwin clenched his teeth to keep from yelling. He told himself this was to help the dog who would probably be an apologetic mess when this was all over, if he even remembered what happened. He was doing this to help Levi, who was too afraid to handle it on his own. Thinking of it that way, Erwin was glad this was him instead of his boyfriend. No matter how strong Levi was, he wouldn’t fair well with this rough pace without getting worked up to it. At least that’s what Erwin thought, and he was glad his boyfriend wasn’t forced into this with no other choice than to comply.

Erwin moved, trying to keep up with the wild thrusting and biting. His hands slipped against the tub’s walls, spine bumping up against the tub roughly. He slipped further down, water lapping around his chest, forcing Eren to change angles and lean further over him. When he reached for Erwin’s cock, the man made a noise and shoved him away.

“No, you’ll yank it off at the rate you’re going.” Erwin told him sternly. Eren looked offended, angry, reaching again like a petulant child. Erwin used his knee to hold Eren back, who barked and tried to get around him, making whining noises. “I understand you want to help, but you don’t really know what you’re doing.”

The shifter made a low sound again, almost demanding, and pointed instead, giving up on fulfilling the act himself. Erwin glanced down at his throbbing cock, hyperaware of Eren’s dick shoved halfway up his ass. Cautiously, he gripped the base and stroked himself as Eren watched. The shifter looked pleased, continuing his thrusting and getting deeper each time. Erwin threw his head back, letting it hang over the end of the tub. Eyes closed, he didn’t think, just let himself feel. It was awkward at first—he rarely masturbated, there was hardly any need—but soon he allowed himself to relax and enjoy the sensations.

Eren was still going at a breakneck pace, but he was hitting the right spots and making Erwin gasp and moan, even crying out a few times. It was the most noise he made during sex in a while. This time when he rode out his orgasm, he felt Eren licking cum leaking from his tip. The bulk landed in the water over his stomach. When the dog pulled out, he fell back against the other side of the tub, breathing heavily.

Erwin felt dirtier than when they came into the tub, considering all the bodily fluids floating around him.

“I think…a shower…might be better.” he panted. Eren’s head flopped forward, and after a moment lifted so he could look at Erwin. “Can you shower by yourself?” Erwin asked. He didn’t want to get fucked against the bathroom wall if Eren felt so inclined to go for round three while they were trying to get washed up again. The shifter nodded, but made no move. “You go first…when you can.”

Erwin was actually feeling pretty tired, but he didn’t want to go to bed covered in sweat and cum. He lifted the stopper and let the water drain, rinsing the tub before getting out. Leaning against the counter, he dragged a towel across his skin to dry himself off. Eren moved slowly, lifting himself to a standing position. Wobbling slightly, he turned the showerhead on and let the spray wash over his body. It seemed to invigorate him. Soon he was scrubbing his hair with shampoo. Erwin trudged into his room to get them both a clean set of pajamas. He had a feeling they would be sleeping for a while.

When he returned to the bathroom, towel wrapped around his waist, Eren was getting out. The dog yipped happily at him, tail wagging and ears perking up. It was odd, feeling the furry appendage tickling and slapping him during sex. Erwin handed the shifter his clothes and stepped under the water, which Eren left on, waiting for him. The dog dried off and stepped into the pajamas, stretching and yawning widely.

Erwin let the cold water trickle down his body, bracing himself against the wall. He was slightly dizzy from exertion, his legs still trembling from the relentless pounding he received, and in turn gave earlier. Absently, he wondered if Eren was tired as well, or if the Heat gave him extra stamina and energy to deal with the emotions and physical activity he was forced into.

After a while he started actually cleaning himself, rubbing shampoo into his scalp and lathering soap over his body. His lower region was still sensitive, making him jump when he swiped the soapy rag between his legs. Shaking his head at the absurd situation he landed himself in, he washed himself off and stepped out of the shower, looking for a dry towel to use. Eren’s was discarded on the floor.

He heard a low, deep “woof” and whirled to see Eren watching him, eyes yellow and piercing.

“Ohhhh no. Not again.” Erwin warned, shaking his head. “We both need some rest.”

The dog said nothing, instead offered a clean, dry towel. When Erwin reached for it, Eren pulled it back. Erwin frowned at him, stepping forward to tug on the towel. He saw something flash in Eren’s eyes as the dog tugged back.

“Stop that. Now.” Erwin commanded, yanking the towel out of the shifter’s hands. He received a guilty whine and watched the dog warily as he dried off. Half-turning to his clothes on the counter, he started putting them on. The towel was flung over the top of the shower rail.

The dog was on the bed now, still watching, laying outstretched in the middle. Erwin sighed as he plopped down onto his stomach, only getting his pajama pants on before giving up on dressing himself. He felt Eren’s eyes on him.

“Get some sleep, Eren.” Erwin told him.

The dog matched his position, head turned to face him. His tail wagged lazily, the swish of air sending a breeze across Erwin’s back.

He drifted to sleep with Eren still staring at him, eyes shifting from yellow to green.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: This took longer than I thought it would for some reason, and not exactly how I originally planned but meh. Will there be more Heat sex? Who knows, not me. Feel free to suggest any ideas for this AU~


	8. Bark at the Moon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Levi is freaking out and Hanji lectures his ear off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I don’t own AoT, promise.
> 
> Sorry this took so long. This chapter will be a Levi-centric because I am mean. Also, I know I said this is slow-building toward Ereri, but I think it might end up as Eruriren (threesome). If this bothers you, let me know. I can’t guarantee where this fic will take me, but to be honest I imagine it ending with Levi and Erwin married, in a house together, and Eren as their pet.

Levi was anxious the entire day. He paced around his home, ran his hands through his hair, cleaned until everything was spotless, and then cleaned some more. He couldn’t focus at work, so he didn’t even bother going in. Every time he tried to work the investigation, he thought about what Eren and Erwin were doing in that moment.

He wanted to scream, go feral and trash the place. The bathroom was the last place he touched when he was cleaning the house. Eren ripped everything to shreds, and it smelled like saccharine stickiness. When dog shifters were in Heat, they released pheromones and a sweat-like substance from their glands, coating everything they touched.

Levi wondered if Erwin was covered in that substance, and thinking maybe it would’ve been better if it were him instead. Or maybe it would’ve been better if Hanji never gave him a dog in the first place. Thinking about it now, with all this time on his hands, he realized it was an attempt to get him out of his shell. He had few friends and was socially awkward, so a dog was obviously the perfect way to cure him. Not.

The captain was tempted to call Hanji over just to strangle the scientist. Instead, he forced himself to do what he should’ve done a long time ago: he took out the books Hanji gave him about shifters and read everything about Heat and the mating process. The more he read, the paler he got, until he was nearly dry-heaving.

_Heat is a precursor to the mating ritual. Usually, dogs mate for life and breed during Heat. Once a shifter is attached to their mate, it is difficult to separate them. Shifters can mate with other shifters or humans, usually their owners, although there may be complications involved with breeding a human and a shifter together._

He could be losing Erwin right now. He could be losing his dog. They could be mating, bonding, becoming partners for life in a more intimate and instinctual way than marriage. Levi didn’t want to lose them both. They were all he had.

The more he thought about his feelings, the more he realized just how much he cared about Eren. The dog helped him more than he knew. Levi missed the wagging tail that greeted him every time he came home, those ears that would perk up every time he spoke or a car drove by or the phone rang. He missed those green eyes staring at him, even if they unnerved him at times. He missed the puppy grin, the way Eren lavished him with love and care and affection. As an owner, he should have been returning those things, giving Eren the sustenance he needed instead of just food and bathing.

He curled up into a ball on the couch, not wanting to sleep in his bed and feel the empty space at his feet where Eren usually laid.

***

There was a knock on the door, which made Levi realize he had fallen asleep. Tears had become dried tracks of salt on his cheeks. When did he start crying? His limbs were stiff from clutching himself so tightly. Groaning, he trudged over to the door and opened it to reveal Hanji.

The scientist was worried, and gave Levi a sad expression when they noticed his appearance. “You’re worse than I thought.”

“Don’t say it.”

“But you know now, what you need to do next time?” Hanji prompted, letting themselves in by brushing past Levi brusquely.

The shorter man grumbled, seating himself back on the couch and tucking his knees to his chest. “I’m finding him a mate, another shifter. I think that’s best for him.”

He could _hear_ Hanji’s disapproval. When he looked up after an uncomfortable silence, his friend’s lips were in a thin line, eyes sharp. In a slow, careful tone, they said, “And what about Eren’s feelings? Have you taken into account what _he_ wants?”

“Please don’t lecture me right now.”

Despite the brokenness in Levi’s tone, Hanji pushed on, coming over with a cup of hot tea. “Even though he’s a pet, he’s still a sentient being capable of intelligence. Hell, even full-fledged dogs deserve some respect and a choice. So I would think about what he wants, and not just what you want. After all, this happened because you were being selfish.”

“It’s not that simple, and you know it. You _know_ how difficult it was for me to trust Erwin. Eren is just…too much.” Levi answered.

“I gave him to you for a reason.”

“I know, to help me socialize or some bullshit. But _you_ were being selfish as well, because you didn’t think of how it would affect Eren, living with someone like me. So this is partly your fault as well.”

“Yes, but I had good intentions. You were just being a wimp.”

Levi frowned at the brutality of Hanji’s statement. They were being serious, which was a rarity compared to their usually vibrant and positive outlook.

They both sat in silence for a while, drinking the tea. Hanji didn’t offer any more lectures or advice, and Levi was struggling with what he wanted to say. Finally he sighed, set his cup down, and voiced his thoughts.

“I can’t stop thinking about them. About what’s happening.”

“Guilty, or disgusted?”

“A little bit of both, to be honest. Guilty for throwing this on Erwin when he doesn’t need it right now, guilty for not taking care of this myself like everyone said to. Disgusted at the whole thing, and at myself. And very…sorry. I wish I could tell Eren that but I don’t know how he’ll react after…”

“I suggest taking him to the vet when he returns. You want to know if he’s still…healthy.”

“And if he bonded with my fiancé.” Levi muttered. He didn’t think Hanji caught it until he heard a small gasp. The start of a maddening smile was beginning to spread on Hanji’s face.

“Who proposed?”

“He did. It was…spontaneous, I think.”

“Well…this makes things awkward.”

“Yeah.”

They were silent again for a few moments. Hanji was fiddling with their hands, but Levi was oddly still.

“So um…his wounds…how are they healing?” Hanji finally asked, unable to stand the silence.

“I think they’re doing fine. I took him to the base the other day and Mikasa was training him with Ymir. Apparently she re-opened some wounds but Ackerman bandaged them back up. Everything was happening too fast, though, so…I’m not sure.”

“Maybe you should call Erwin to check up on them.”

“No.”

The ferocity of his statement made Hanji pause. “Why?”

“I don’t want to…I can’t think about…just no. Not right now. I’m still dealing with everything.”

“You’re still being selfish, you mean.”

“Why the fuck did you come over in the first place? To make me feel even more like shit?” Levi snapped, snatching a pillow and squeezing it around himself.

“I wanted to make sure you weren’t driving yourself crazy. Clearly, I’m too late.” Levi snorted in response, refusing to look at his friend. He was starting to doubt whether they even had a friendship anymore. “Well, when he gets back, you’ll need to have your shit together.”

“I know.”

“So take him to the vet as soon as possible, to check the wounds and make sure the Heat went well.”

“I know.”

Hanji sighed. “Alright, while I’m here, let’s figure some other things out.” Out of a bag that Levi just now noticed, Hanji took out some reports. “I’ve compiled a few analyses on both cases, the one with the Military Police and the wilds. I was able to look at the samples of blood and start running tests on my hypotheses.”

Levi seemed to awaken, shifting and giving them his full attention. “And?”

“The MPs definitely want to use him for dog fighting. They’re running an illegal ring, or rather, _allowing_ a ring to run in the Underground. They take a share of the profits and use it to fund their supplies and booze. The owners get to stay out of jail as long as they are in cahoots with the MP.”

Levi curled his lip, angry. “So they’re forcing dogs to fight? Shifters?”

“All kinds. Apparently there’s a large system built up, with levels and stages. Different breeds and sizes face off against each other. I think a few matches are between a shifter and a full dog, just to see who would win. Because of their intelligence, the shifters usually come out the victor. However, a few cases have popped up where the true animal won. It’s fascinating, actually.” Hanji shifted their glasses, getting that excited gleam in their eyes.

“Don’t get off topic.” Levi warned.

“Right. But like I said, they definitely want to use him. Or maybe they want to put him down, but that’s probably after he wins a few fights for them. Mostly they’re afraid, because even the dogs they train to fight aren’t as vicious or capable of aggression like Eren has shown.”

“But he…he’s a sweetheart though. I mean, he’s only aggressive when he’s defending himself. He’s never attacked someone outright…well, he growls at other shifters…”

“I know. He’s like Jekyll and Hyde. That’s why they want him, at least.” Hanji agreed.

“And the wilds?” he prompted.

“There’s been a slew of attacks made by wilds recently. While usually residing on the outskirts of cities, they’ve started encroaching closer inside, ignoring warnings and openly attacking people. Their numbers are increasing as well. But because they’re shifters, we can’t just round them up and neuter them. The Shifter’s Rights Activists would go nuts. They claim we just need to domesticate the wilds like we’ve done with pet shifters, but they don’t seem to realize how impossible that is. I mean, even pet shifters can display hostility when threatened. Besides, wilds are born and bred differently, out in the….well, _wild_ , and so they go by nature’s laws, not human ones.”

“Hanji. Focus.”

“Right. Sorry.” Hanji gave a sheepish expression. “My current experiment actually entails wild behavior, which ties in nicely with Eren’s predicament. As I was saying, I think the two dogs you mentioned have been involved in other attacks, although they were against humans, not shifters. They may have thought Eren was another wild encroaching on their territory, or a threat.”

“Why?” Levi didn’t understand how Eren could be a threat to anyone, as long as they kept their distance.

“Because they can sense his animosity toward them. But I think he was a target. I think they planned to attack him.”

“How…would a wild plan an attack like this? I mean, they’re the equivalent of cavemen, right?”

“Not really, they just choose a different lifestyle, mainly the refusal of domestication and becoming a pet. That’s another lecture in itself, though.”

“So you don’t think these cases are related? The MP want Eren, and so do the wilds? All because he has some spunk?”

“Basically.” Hanji shrugged. “I’ll do more research, but Erwin has been the one pulling strings. You need to be careful with Eren, though. You know how the Military Police get when they want something.”

“Ugh, they’re disgusting. I wish we didn’t have to work with them.” Levi snarled.

Hanji shrugged. “For now, I suggest avoiding both. It may be difficult, though, if both groups decided to attack again. I think Erwin planned on setting up security guards around here.”

“No.” Levi scowled again. Hanji could tell by his childish tone it had more to do with pride than anything else.

“Eren is a great defender, but he could get hurt or captured. I know you can take care of yourself, but it doesn’t hurt to take extra precautions.”

“That sounds like something Erwin would say.” Levi snorted.

Hanji hid the hand they were looking at with notes jotted down and coughed to clear their throat. “Anyway, a few of your squad members volunteered—,”

“Nooooooo.” Levi groaned, hiding his face. “Please say you didn’t let them, and instead assigned random strangers to the security detail?” Hanji’s shit-eating grin told him all he needed to know. Except for one thing. “Who?” Hanji grinned wider. “ _Who_?”

“Arlert and Ackerman.”

Levi swore, flinging his hands in the air. Those two were the last people he wanted guarding him, not because they weren’t wholly qualified, but because they would never let him live it down. Well, Ackerman wouldn’t. Arlert would just smile knowingly and find a way to use it against him later in an Erwin-esque fashion.

“When?” he managed to ask.

“I guess whenever Eren is back to normal. They’ll set up a rotation, and I’m sure Mikasa will bring Annie with her.”

“But Eren is hostile toward other shifters, you said so yourself. How will that help matters?”

“Well, for one thing, it’s always better to have two shifters when it comes to wilds. For two, Annie would rip that one guy’s other arm off if the MP tried to attack here again. Besides, they won’t be around too much—more out of sight than anything, since we don’t want them to necessarily _know_ you’re being guarded. If things turn sour between them, I’m sure Annie will just go back to home base.”

“I guess. I just don’t want Eren to feel stressed out, or wonder if this is all his fault.”

Hanji hummed in agreement. They were both silent again, contemplating.

“Does he remember what he did as a child?” Levi asked abruptly.

Hanji understoond what he was referring to. “Yes. He talked about it with me. He knows how dangerous he is, which is probably why he works so hard to appear harmless.”

“Maybe turning him into a soldier would be the worst thing, then.”

“No. I think it would be a good use of his abilities. Plus, it would be better for him to work out his aggression with trained discipline than turning into a wild himself.”

Levi blinked. “Wait, pets can go wild?”

“Of course, just like humans can go crazy.” Hanji looked at him like he was brainless. “While you have the time, do some research. For Eren’s sake, as well as your own.” With that, the scientist stood. “I’ve bothered you enough today. See ya.”

Levi grunted as he watched Hanji leave. He remained on the couch for a few more minutes, listening to the crisp, silent air, until he decided to move. Sighing, he retrieved the books and started reading from Chapter 1.

A few books, scholarly dissertations, and internet articles later, he felt confident in his abilities to know how to care for his pet. At least now he could tell the difference between when Eren was hungry or just needed to take a shit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: This may or may not have turned into an animal’s rights thing, with slight parallels to dogs and wolves. Sorry not sorry. Also I don’t know where my chapter titles are going I just keep making random dog references.


	9. Not Another Dog Pun

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eren returns home and Levi isn't good at handling jealousy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: Attack on Titan belongs to Isayama.
> 
> I couldn’t come up with an actual title for this chapter so here’s a silly one to help with the mood.

When Erwin woke up, he saw Eren sitting on the bed, staring at him with a pathetic expression. From the tears in his eyes and the faint whining from his throat, Erwin could tell the dog was upset. Whether it had to do with him and the Heat, or missing Levi, he was unclear about.

“Eren? Are you alright?” he asked groggily, blinking to wake himself up. Maybe the dog was injured from their marathon sex. He woke up in the middle of the night to a needy moan, and was finally able to go back to sleep in the early morning after Eren was satisfied.

The shifter’s whine was louder this time, and his eyes were squeezed shut. Erwin sat up, leaning closer. “What’s wrong?” he asked softly. The more he looked, the more he understood. Eren was still in Heat. The sweat on his skin, the rising steam, the smell, and the distinctive bulge beneath the sheets told the Commander why Eren was upset. “Shhhh, it’s alright.” He reached out tentatively.

Eren collapsed into Erwin’s arms, clutching and whining, still crying. “It won’t…stop.” He rasped between sobs.

“Shhhhh, don’t worry, we’ll fix it.” Erwin soothed him, patting his back reassuringly.  He felt Eren shake his head. “Heats normally last a while, and with all the added stress for your first time, I didn’t expect it to be over this soon.” Eren howled mournfully in response. “Are you hurt?” Erwin whispered. Eren shook his head again.

For good measure, Erwin checked the wounds caused by the wilds who attacked the dog earlier in the week. In all the chaos, he forgot to bring the dog’s medications and replacement bandages. He considered calling Levi, but had a feeling it wouldn’t be a comforting conversation. Would his fiancé be angry with him, or as inconsolable as Eren?

With a sigh, Erwin kissed Eren’s forehead. The stimulation had the dog writhing and kicking. Gone was his aggressive instinct to mate. Now he was just a scared puppy. Maybe this time Erwin would get to be gentle and slow, like he wanted to be in the first place. He started a trail of kisses down Eren’s neck, trying to comfort him with soft touches. The whining slowed down, and eventually the tears stopped.

They lay there, Erwin holding Eren close and running his lips across his skin, until Eren’s trembling calmed down.

When they were both ready, Erwin took it slow, as if it were their first time. The dog shifter was appreciative, despite the fierce need surging through him. It took another whole day of non-stop sexual action, with a few stops to eat and take a piss in between, for Eren’s Heat cycle to finally dissipate.

***

Erwin sighed, rubbing his eyes. After deliberating, they both decided it was time. The older blond picked up the phone and called his fiancé.

“Hey, it’s over.”

“ _Thank fucking god_.” Levi breathed on the other end of the line. Erwin winced, but didn’t reply to his statement.

“I think it would be a good idea to bring him back to you sooner rather than later.” He hinted.

“ _Are you saying you’re already on the way_?”

“I’m saying I need to sleep for a few days and your dog misses you.”

“ _Bring him back, then._ ”

***

_Heats for shifters usually last about a week, depending on various factors, such as breed, age, and environmental stimulation. For experienced shifters, heats are generally easy to handle, and possibly suppress or control, if needed. However, when dogs go through their first few Heat cycles, they are harder to manage and may cause intense distress for both dog and owner._

_It is recommended to be prepared for the first Heat, whether it is for the dog or for you as the owner, and to watch carefully for indicators that your dog is about to enter the Heat cycle. Having a partner pre-selected for mating may reduce stress._

_Heat cycles help with breeding, although having multiple partners for your dog is unhealthy and, more importantly, unfair. Neglecting a shifter in Heat is considered abuse by the Shifter’s Rights Activists, and can lead to the owner’s arrest if documented neglect is seen on various occasions._

_Shifters heal quickly, especially during Heat, in order to survive the process. Their hormones also increase and dogs may display erratic behavior, from humping to attempting to engage in sexual activities. Have your shifter examined by a doctor regularly to ensure a healthy Heat cycle, and if necessary, spaying and neutering is an option for non-breeders._

***

Erwin dropped Eren off, looking exhausted yet giving Levi a heartfelt smile. Eren gave his owner a tight hug, tail wagging, and then stepped back. It was odd, because Levi expected the dog to be all over him. Based on the subdued expression on his face, he figured the awkwardness of his actions during his Heat cycle made him think about being more careful with his affections. It stung Levi, seeing the somber look on his dog’s usually excited face.

Erwin left after reassuring himself that Eren and Levi were able to interact somewhat normally. He knew they would need to work things out between them without any distractions.

And with the way Levi was looking at him, Erwin was _definitely_ a distraction. A kiss to the forehead was all he dared before heading for the door.

When they were left alone, dog and owner stared at each other. Eren opened his mouth, then shut it. Levi waited expectantly for the shifter to finally speak, but the dog kept his mouth closed and eyes averted. Levi sighed, walking over to the couch and turning on the TV, something normal and harmless. He glanced at Eren, patting the space next to him in invitation. The dog took it, staring at the screen intently.

A few minutes later, he felt Eren turn to him, face determined yet nervous. Levi glanced at him curiously. After a few tries, Eren’s courage finally prevailed.

“Hi.”

“Holy shit you talked.” Levi gasped, immediately shutting the TV off and putting his hands on Eren’s face. “Do it again.” Even though it wasn’t the first time, Levi found himself mesmerized by the dog’s voice. He thought they would be back to the silent treatment for good after his Heat ended.

The dog blushed, looking down and away. “Umm….hi?”

Levi breathed in, eyes wide, trying to stop a squeal. This was good. This was progress.

“Hi.” He answered.  Eren looked back up and smiled, tail wagging. Levi took a deep breath. “So, um…Erwin…he was nice?”

Eren nodded. When Levi frowned slightly at his lack of a verbal answer, the dog opened his mouth again to speak. “We had lots of sex.”

Levi scrambled away, face red. “Okay that’s…okay. No more talking about that.” He coughed, clearing his throat and turning the TV back on. Beside him, Eren’s ears drooped and he whined, pouting and pawing at him. Clearly, he wanted to continue speaking. Levi thought about all the times he neglected his dog before and sighed, turning the TV off again.

“I missed you.” Eren said in a small, childish voice. His green eyes were wide, mouth downturned.

“I missed you too.” Levi murmured, running his fingers through Eren’s hair. The dog closed his eyes, humming, and leaned forward. They adjusted position until Eren was lying across him, with Levi petting his head, an arm wrapped around him. They stayed like that for a while.

“I…” Eren began, and Levi looked at him expectantly, waiting to hear more. “I want to do it again.” he whispered.

The expression on his owner’s face made the dog realize why he never spoke to him in the first place. He was horrified. Eren had said the wrong thing, just like he always feared.

***

“I don’t know what to do.”

Grisha sighed, taking off his glasses and rubbing his eyes. Levi brought Eren in to check his wounds and make sure the Heat cycle was healthy. While the dog was being looked over by a nurse, Levi pulled the doctor aside.

“You were told about this when he started showing symptoms. Why did you wait until the last minute?” the doctor was clearly angry with him, cleaning his glasses with a firm set to his jaw.

“I already told you, this is the first shifter—even _pet_ —that I’ve ever owned. A friend gave him to me without even asking. There’s been a lot of shit to go through, and I wasn’t prepared for any of it.”

“You were given responsibility over this being’s life, and you were careless with it.” Grisha told him sternly. “If you cannot properly care for him, you should consider giving him to someone who could.”

Levi bit back a response. Erwin would gladly take Eren off his hands, and then the two of them could live happily ever after. He had been avoiding his fiancé for several days because he didn’t want to hear what he had to say.

“Look, I’ve been doing my research, okay? Besides, he already has an emotional attachment to me. Breaking that now, after everything that’s happened, would probably be bad for him, right? I don’t want to hurt him, so just _tell me what the fuck to do_.”

“Listen, young man. I am a trained physician for shifters, and I will not tolerate that tone of voice you have. I will only help you for his sake. Until you prove that you really have his best interests in mind, I cannot take you seriously as a pet owner.” The doctor growled, finally making eye contact.

Levi paused, surprised by being called a young man when he was already in his 30s. “Fair enough.” He finally said.

“Now, have you tried _talking_ with Eren about what happened?” Grisha asked more calmly.

“Yeah, that’s why I brought him in. He said he wants to do it again. With my _fiancé_.”

“To be perfectly honest, you brought that upon yourself. You should’ve had—,”

“Yeah I know.” Levi interrupted. “I should’ve gotten him a playdate, I shouldn’t fucked him myself. Whatever. The point is I don’t know what he means.”

Grisha quirked an eyebrow. Levi swallowed and tried to put into words what he was wrestling with. “It’s just…does he just mean he enjoyed the sex? Or…that he wants to fuck my partner’s brains out again?”

“Did you ask him to clarify?”

Levi looked away. “I was a bit angry at the time. Plus, he’s not that good with communication.”

“You two will have to learn how to communicate with each other.” Grisha told him. “For both your sakes.” He muttered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: I’m sorry this is so late. For some reason this was hard for me to finish. Cliffhangers ftw.


	10. Red Ribbons

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Levi and Eren go out on the town and see some familiar faces.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I still do not own Attack on Titan, nor the idea of dog shifters.

Levi couldn’t stand to be alone in the house with Eren, especially since Erwin kept trying to contact him. He was still avoiding his fiancé and also avoiding anything having to do with Eren’s Heat. It was selfish, and wasn’t helping the situation, but he didn’t know how to approach the subject, and how he would feel once they started talking.

“You wanna go to the park or something?” Levi drawled, glancing over at Eren. While calmer now than ever before, the shifter still followed him around like a lovesick puppy.

Eren yipped, ears instantly going up and tail wagging happily. Levi nodded to himself, grabbing the leash and collar he was coaxed into buying for whenever he took Eren to a public place. He didn’t understand why he had to place it on the shifter when he was out of his dog form, but he was told it would be best. He glanced at the ribbon attached to the collar, the red piece of fabric alerting the public to the fact that Eren was dangerous.

When he got the collar and leash, he was kindly told that it would be against the law not to warn people about the recent attacks. Even though Eren was pretty friendly with people, the fact that he was hostile toward other shifters and dogs meant that he had to literally carry a warning sign to deter people from approaching him. It would be the first time they went out like this, and Levi wasn’t sure how people would react. He was afraid it would hurt the dog’s feelings if people acted negatively toward them just because of a silly ribbon.

He shook his head, attaching the collar to Eren’s neck, who stood patiently. The leash was attached next, and Levi glanced around before grabbing a ‘baby’ that Eren liked to play with. Taking a deep breath, they exited the house and got in the car.

***

Eren stuck his head out of the window the entire time, as usual. Sometimes he would yip or bark excitedly at people as they walked by, telling them hello and giving a cute greeting. People waved when they saw him in the car, and his tail waved back. Levi was still nervous, though.

He realized he was right to be wary, because he sensed a change as they stepped out of the car when they reached the park. People were friendly until they saw the red ribbon. He watched as their faces changed, and they took a few steps back. Some faked a smile until they could politely run away, while others flat-out stopped talking and stormed off.

Of course Eren was oblivious. He enjoyed when people approached, although he was still a bit stand-offish when it came to other pets. Levi was impressed with how well he was doing, but the shifter refused to join other dogs in playtime. He hung around his owner and attracted the attention of other owners.

“Your dog is so cute!” one woman squealed. “Did your parents get him for your birthday?” she asked, smiling at Levi sweetly as she leaned down to meet him at eye level.

The captain blinked. “Ma’am, I’m 32.”

She pulled back, clearing her throat. “I apologize, you just look so…young.”

“I get it all the time.” Levi sighed. He wasn’t angry, just annoyed at how many comments like that he received already that day. He wasn’t sure if it was Eren’s presence or if he looked especially rested and youthful.

“Oh…that ribbon.” He sighed. Here it comes. “Odd, he seems really friendly. Is it from the groomer’s or something?”

“No, he…doesn’t play well with other dogs. They told me he had to wear it when we went out in public.”

“Oh, I see.” She glanced at the other shifters, who were running around in the park and playing. “That explains why he’s with you, and not out there. You know, there’s actually another place where owners and pets can hang out, down by the shops. If he doesn’t want to play in the park, maybe you can take him there.”

This time he blinked in surprise. “Oh…I didn’t know that. Thanks. I uh…I actually did get him for my birthday, but I’ve never owned a pet before.” He explained.

“I can tell. You look…new to everything. But anyway, there’s a small café and a few other shops where shifters and owners are welcome. He might enjoy it.” She suggested, then left with a small wave. The entire time they were talking, she was rubbing Eren’s head behind the ears. If Levi didn’t know any better, he could have sworn the dog was purring.

He whined when she left, pouting and letting his ears droop.

“Hey, you wanna see the place she was talking about?” Levi asked him. After glancing at the playground where the other dogs were, Eren turned back to his owner and nodded. They walked down the street into the main downtown area.

Most people acted the same way at the park. They would smile and begin to approach, only to see the ribbon and back off. Levi could tell Eren was getting upset. The dog kept scratching at his neck and subtly attempting to pull the ribbon off.

“You hungry? I think this café serves pets exclusively. Let’s see what they have, huh?” Levi tugged on his leash lightly, after Eren tried to approach a little girl who shied away after her mother pointed out the ribbon.

The dog sat down dejectedly, tail and ears drooping, with a frown on his face. “Hey, it’s alright. They just don’t understand what it’s for. Maybe I can see if there’s a different ribbon you can wear next time.”

Eren whined, and Levi could see tears in his eyes.

“Hey there! Welcome to Hot Dogs, have you dined with us before?” a waiter asked animatedly.

Eren glanced at him as the waiter addressed him, perking up a bit.

“Erm, no, we haven’t.” Levi replied, directing the waiter’s attention to him. He noticed a slight change of expression from the waiter, and wondered if he was a shifter as well.

“Alright, let me explain what we do here. We cater to shifters of all kinds and prepare special dishes to suit their appetites. Of course, we also have meals for pet owners. Here’s the menu.” The waiter slid two menus onto the table and started pointing out items. “They’re all naturally made and organic, which is the best for any shifter _or_ human. We have them labelled for each species, so he’ll be ordering from…there.”

Levi glanced at a section labeled ‘canines’ on the menu, and the waiter pointed it out to Eren, who leaned away.

“Oh, he’s shy?” the waiter asked, still smiling.

“…yeah.” Levi said, waiting for the exact moment when the waiter would—

“Oh, that ribbon…”

“Look, he’s really not dangerous, they just told me—,”

“I’m sorry, we can’t serve that kind of pet here.” The waiter announced, stepping away.

“What?” Levi wasn’t quite sure if he heard that right.

“We don’t like to endanger other shifters, I’m sorry. Even if it was an accident, we can’t risk it. I didn’t notice it before, I apologize.”

“Excuse me?” Levi was ten seconds away from losing his own temper, and Eren was on the verge of wailing.

“Captain?” a familiar voice soothed the oncoming storm. He glanced over to see Mikasa with a blond woman next to her.

“Ackerman.” Levi nodded, getting up from the table and snatching Eren’s leash, giving the waiter a severe look as they shuffled past. The four of them exited the café. As soon as Eren met the eyes of the other dog, his expression changed.

He went still, except for a slight twitch in his tail, his ears pointing straight up. Levi and Mikasa watched as he sniffed the air, eyes wide.

“This is Annie, my pet.” Mikasa explained. Annie was looking at Eren the same way he was looking at her, stiff yet interested. They checked each other out, even walked around each other a few times, before Eren smiled and gave his tail a small wag. Annie’s expression lightened, although she still seemed bored.

“I think they like each other.” Mikasa whispered.

“Really?” Levi asked. “I mean, he hasn’t tried to attack her, so I guess that’s a good thing.” He sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Can you believe they kicked us out? All because of this stupid ribbon? He’s been getting shit all day because people think he’s dangerous.”

“That’s because he is.” Mikasa stated. He shot her a cold look. “What I mean is, the ribbon says he’s dangerous, but not _why_. They don’t know the story, all they know is to stay away.”

“But the vet said that he had to wear it in public.”

“Vets are legally bound to say stuff like that. It’s just to cover their bases in case an attack occurs. Besides, he’s not the friendliest toward other shifters, and they need to know that.”

“It’s like he’s a criminal wearing a uniform.” Levi muttered, watching Annie and Eren interact. The dog seemed friendly enough, daring to get close and smiling. He looked happy, as if she were another human.

“Annie is the same way, more or less. She just has a better handle on herself.” Mikasa answered. She pointed to a red bracelet on Annie’s wrist. “But she still has to wear that, so people know not to mess with her.”

Levi nodded. “How did I never realize this?”

“To be honest, Captain, you don’t notice a lot of things about the shifter community at headquarters. I thought after you got Eren that maybe you would start to pick up on a few things.”

“Like what?”

“Like how they don’t serve very healthy meals for shifters. And there aren’t a lot of shifter-friendly places, either. This stuff is more the Commander’s area, though. But maybe you can talk to him about it. For Eren’s sake, at least.”

“Hn. About that…” He rubbed the back of his neck, and gestured for them to sit down. The two dogs were getting more playful, darting towards each other, then away, circling, yipping occasionally.

“What is it? Did he go through Heat yet? He looks a lot calmer.” Mikasa said.

Levi closed his eyes, putting his hands on his face. “Yeah.”

Mikasa was quiet beside him for a moment. “Something went wrong?” she asked tentatively, giving Eren a closer look.

“Not really. But…I probably shouldn’t even tell you. It’s…inappropriate.”

“Your sex life isn’t my business, of course, captain.”

Levi stiffened. “I didn’t…it’s not about that.”

She turned, giving him an inquisitive expression. “Oh? You found someone to take care of him?”

“Like I said…revealing who it was would be a breach of trust.”

“I see.” She hummed, looking back at the shifters. Annie had her hands up near her head, fists clenched, feet spread apart. “Annie, no!” Mikasa shouted, half-standing.

The dog glanced at her, and Levi looked up quickly to see the problem, but Eren was still smiling and wagging his tail. He darted in and laid a kiss on Annie’s cheek while she was distracted, then yipped and jumped away, grinning. He glanced at Levi, as if making sure he was watching, asking if this was okay behavior.

“Huh. He must have a thing for blonds…” Levi muttered before he could stop himself.

“Blonds?” Mikasa asked, after realizing they were just playing and not actually fighting. Eren was putting his fists up as well, trying to mirror Annie’s stance. It was a much different atmosphere than when Ymir and Eren were sparring. When Levi didn’t answer, she said, “Maybe I should train him with Annie. You know, we could set them up on a play date.”

“A play date? Like children?” Levi asked, frowning.

“Dogs and shifters have them too, especially when they’re young and inexperienced. It’s just to help them interact with others of their kind. It would help Eren. Besides, next time he goes through Heat…well, at least you’d have an option.” She suggested, shrugging.

He glanced from her to the shifters. They looked like they were having fun. Annie had a small smile, and gave small barks, and he noticed her tail was wagging slightly.

“I actually haven’t seen her behave this way all that much. She and Ymir don’t get along very well. Actually, Ymir doesn’t get along with anyone except for Krista. Not even Armin can make her stop glaring.” She stated. “But Annie is more reserved. I found her when she was young, when I was a bit young too. She was a wild.”

“Wait, really?” Levi turned to her, giving her his full attention. “I thought they couldn’t be tamed or domesticated?”

“Not really. I mean, only if they _want_ to. I think she didn’t like being a wild. But I’m pretty sure she belonged to a pack, because there were a string of wild sightings in the area right after I took her home. At first my parents didn’t want to let me keep her, but she kept clinging to me and wouldn’t let anyone else touch her. That’s when I started training her. I got a passion for it while I was caring for her.”

Levi never expected this history lesson from one of his subordinates, but it was starting to make sense. Something clicked in his mind. “Did you get a look at the wilds who showed up after you found her?”

“Hm? No, I don’t think so.” She paused. “Why, do you think they’re the same ones who attacked Eren?”

“Could be. Not sure how they’re all related, but I wouldn’t rule it out.”

“We should tell Erwin.” When Levi winced, Mikasa gave him a knowing expression. She leaned close and said softly, “I won’t tell anyone, and it’s none of my business, but it’s kind of obvious who serviced Eren in his Heat. You’re so tense every time I mention the commander. I know it’s not my place, but are you two…well, are you doing okay? It’s just…well, a lot of people know you’re together, and…we like seeing you together. It’s nice.”

“What are you trying to say, Ackerman?”

“That you guys are a cute couple, and you should talk to each other about whatever is going on. Also, we need to set up a play date for Eren and Annie, because we need to get back home now. I can start some personal training sessions between them, like you asked for.”

Levi wasn’t sure what to say as Mikasa got up, gesturing for Annie to join her. The shifter hesitated just a second before dropping the playful attitude and taking her place at Mikasa’s side. Eren pouted again, but still seemed excited about the meeting.

“So two o’ clock tomorrow? Sound good?” Mikasa asked, raising her eyebrows at Levi.

Owner looked at pet, who was practically begging for him to say yes. Levi sighed, rubbing his face before responding. “Yeah, sounds fine.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: Yay more dog politics. The red ribbon thing is based on the real life ‘yellow ribbon’ thing that people put on dog leashes to warn them that they ‘need space’ or aren’t very friendly. There have been mixed reactions to this, and it’s pretty much viewed the same as ‘Beware of Dog’ signs. Also, I’m not sure why Eren always has a thing for blonds in my fics. I’m not doing it on purpose it just happens.


	11. Play Date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Levi and Eren talk. Levi and Erwin talk. Eren and Annie have a play date, but don't talk all that much.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: *Lana voice* Nuuuuuooooooooooope.
> 
> I’m sorry this took so long but life happens.

“Do you want Annie to be my new partner?” Eren asked out of the blue when they got home. Levi paused, turning back to his pet slowly. The dog didn’t look displeased, but there was slight disappointment in his eyes.

“Well…it’s an option.” His owner stated, repeating what Mikasa said.

Eren’s ears drooped, but he nodded. “I understand.”

Before Levi could find words of solace, his phone began to ring. He glanced at the screen and noticed his fiancé was calling, for the third time that day. Sighing, he decided it was time to answer.

“Hey.”

_“Levi.”_

The Captain winced. Erwin didn’t sound happy about being neglected.

“I’m sorry.” Levi muttered before he could get chewed out. He heard Erwin sigh on the other end of the line. “Listen, before you say anything, I just want to note that I realize how much of a jerk I’ve been, to both of you.” He glanced at Eren, who was pretending not to listen in on the conversation. “And I sincerely apologize for dragging you into this and…just…I’m sorry, okay?”

_“You didn’t drag me into this, Levi. We’re a family, remember?”_ Erwin told him.

Levi was wiping away unbidden tears when he fully registered what his fiancé was saying. “Family?” he croaked out.

_“Yes. Now I’m coming over, so don’t try to run or hide. I’ll find you.”_ He said in a joking tone, even though Levi was sure he was serious about coming over. “ _You can’t avoid me forever.”_ He added in a softer voice.

“I know. Come on, we just got home anyway. Eren has lots to tell you.” Levi answered, glancing at the dog who wagged his tail.

_“I’ll be there soon.”_ Erwin promised.

As he hung up, Levi stared at his phone, biting his lip. “Erwin’s on his way over.”

Eren barked, ears perking up and tail wagging excitedly. He grinned and started hopping around in glee.

“Look, about the other day…” Levi said, sitting down on the couch and gesturing for Eren to do the same. The dog pouted but took a seat. “I’ve reacted badly to this entire situation, and I’m sorry. I should’ve done something about your Heat sooner. So we need to talk about this before Erwin gets here.” The shifter paled, shaking his head and scooting away. “ _Please_ Eren, you have to talk to me about this. I promise I’ll try to be understanding, I just need to know what you’re feeling.”

Still Eren shook his head, closing in on himself. Levi’s hopeful expression fell. They sat in silence for a moment. “I didn’t mean to upset you.” He murmured. “But Erwin is my fiancé. We’re…we’re going to be mated.” He said, trying to phrase it in terms Eren, as a shifter, could understand. “So…we need to figure this out.”

“I didn’t mean to claim.” Eren whispered. He thought back to when he told Erwin about attempting to hump his owner earlier during the week, when he was first going into Heat. Eren never meant to take what didn’t belong to him. “But you…” he stopped, shaking his head again.

Levi leaned in. “Tell me…please. When you said…do you want to be with him?” he finally asked, hoping against everything that the answer would be no. Eren turned to him, startled, eyes wide. His owner looked so desperate in that moment, he was shocked.

“Erwin is…nice. I like Erwin.” The shifter finally spoke up. Levi closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. This was it. He was going to lose them both. “But I like you more.” The captain opened his eyes, blinking.

“You…”

Eren’s face was red in embarrassment, and he looked like he wanted to crawl away and hide, but he remained seated, clenching his hands together. “I tried to tell you. But you wouldn’t…you didn’t understand.”

Levi started to put the pieces together. He had a feeling this was the case, and was trying to deny it as much as possible. But everyone else knew; it was obvious to see from the dog shifter’s behavior.

“I’m sorry. I’m bad at romance. I didn’t listen when people were trying to tell me what was going on.” He explained. “So is that why you wouldn’t speak to me?”

Eren nodded. “I was afraid I would say something to embarrass myself. Or get you upset. Please don’t be upset.” The shifter pleaded.

“No…” Levi reached out, stroking his cheek and hair. “I’m not upset, Eren. Thank you for telling me.”

Eren looked up at him shyly, and Levi dared to show him a small smile. The dog beamed, sitting up more fully. Levi could hear the thumping of the dog’s tail against the seat cushions.

“There’s still one thing, though.” Levi said carefully. Eren’s expression faltered a bit at the serious tone in his owner’s words. He took a deep breath again. “I need to know…no, I _want_ to know, who you would prefer as a mate. You said you wanted to do it again. Did you mean the sex part, or the sex with _Erwin_ part?” he asked, cringing at his own phrasing. “I mean…”

“I know what you mean.” Eren told him. His green eyes were large as they looked into his own gray orbs. “I want…to be with you.”

“Not Erwin? Not Annie?”

Eren frowned. He liked Erwin, and the man was a viable option for mateship. Annie looked like a good companion as well. But ever since he sprung out of that box and leapt into Levi’s lap, he’d wanted him like nothing else. Still…he had options now that needed to be considered.

“I don’t know…” Eren mumbled, looking away, confused.

“It’s just…I know I’ve been selfish, and I haven’t been treating you fairly. So I’m letting you decide. You have that playdate with Annie tomorrow, to see if you two can get along well enough to be friends, or even mates. And Erwin…he already serviced you. If you want…we can try…” Levi struggled with the words. He wanted to seem open and willing, but he still wasn’t sure how he felt about being intimate with his pet. “The point is, you don’t have to decide right now, but it needs to be _your_ decision, not mine. I don’t want to force you into anything you don’t want to be in, and I don’t want to deprive you of anything, either. So just…let me know, okay?”

Eren nodded, leaning forward. Tentatively, he bumped his head against Levi’s chest. His owner smiled down at him, rubbing his head.

They were startled when someone knocked on the door. Even though Levi assumed it was Erwin, he was still cautious about opening the door until he was sure about who was on the other side. Once he confirmed it was his fiancé, he opened the door with a sheepish smile.

“Hey.”

Erwin smiled back at him. “Hey.” He said, standing on the front step.

Eren barked in greeting from his position on the couch, tail wagging. Levi stepped aside, signaling for Erwin to come in and closing the door behind him. Erwin patted Eren on the head, sitting beside him, and Levi sat back down next to him.

“So.” Erwin leveled his fiancé with a knowing expression. “Did you talk?” he asked, one bushy eyebrow quirking upward.

“Yes.” Levi answered. “I guess…it’s our turn, now.”

Erwin draped his arm across the top of the couch, and Levi scooted closer to him, leaning into his side. Closing his eyes, he said, “Okay, you can yell at me now.”

He could feel Erwin chuckle beside him, his deep voice resounding inside his head. “I’m not going to yell at you, Levi.” He murmured, stroking the captain’s hair. Levi looked up at him. “I just wish we could’ve worked this out sooner.”

“I know. I was being an ass.”

“To be fair, I haven’t been around much.” Erwin stated. “I get so caught up in work that I hardly give you the attention you deserve. I know you’d never say it, but I can tell when you get lonely. I thought maybe Eren would help.”

“That’s what Hanji said.” Levi stated.

Erwin nodded. “So we all have to do better.” He turned to Eren. “Right? We all need to communicate more with each other.”

The shifter nodded vigorously. “I talk to Levi now.” He said happily.

Both of Erwin’s eyebrows shot up in surprise and he glanced at Levi, who shrugged and said “I told you we talked.”

“Clearly.” He said, turning back to the shifter. “I’m proud of you, Eren.” The dog’s tail whacked against the couch again as he grinned. “I really do want us to be a family.”

“Me too!” Eren yipped, nuzzling up to his other side.

“I’d like that.” Levi whispered, wrapping his arms around Erwin, who returned the embrace with one arm, while the other was stroking Eren’s head.

***

Levi didn’t want to leave his bed. His phone was blinking with a reminder that Eren’s playdate with Annie was later today. But he didn’t want to get up just yet. Turning, he saw Eren nuzzled in between himself and Erwin. This was what a family looked like.

Eren shifted in his sleep, expression growing fearful as he squeaked and yipped, attempting to run or kick at something beneath the covers. The movements had Erwin blinking awake. Both men started reassuring Eren that it was just a nightmare, cooing to him softly or petting his head gently. Soon the shifter settled down again.

“Good morning.” Erwin murmured, smiling across the top of Eren’s head at Levi.

“Morning.” Levi smiled back, reaching out to curl his finger in the cowlick of Erwin’s bangs.

“Breakfast?” the blond asked.

“Mmmmm.” Levi responded in the affirmative. As Erwin started to get up, the captain made a disapproving noise in the back of his throat. “No, stay.”

“I have to make the food in the kitchen, which means I have to get up from the bed.” Another disapproving sound greeted him. “Would you rather not eat?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.

Levi opened his mouth to state that he would rather starve than be deprived of his beloved again, but his stomach answered for him in a determined growl. He frowned, and Erwin chuckled, ruffling his hair. Levi watched mournfully as his fiancé left the room.

Eren scooted closer to him, sensing the warmth and pushing himself into Levi’s chest. His owner started scratching him behind the ears, and his tail began thumping beneath the sheets as a smile appeared on his face.

“Erwin is making us breakfast.” He said. Eren’s eyes popped open and he gave an excited gasp. “But we can stay in bed. He’ll serve it to us.” Levi grinned, and his pet grinned back.

“I’m not your maid.” Erwin called from the kitchen.

Levi and Eren snickered to each other, hiding beneath the covers.

***

“So what exactly do shifters _do_ during a playdate?” Levi asked once he arrived at the meeting place he and Mikasa agreed upon.

She gave him an odd look. “The same thing regular children and dogs do. They play. Get to know one another.”

“And…what are we supposed to do?” Levi asked, watching Eren and Annie interact.

“Hang out, watch them a bit, shoot the breeze. Or drink lots of alcohol.” She answered.

“Someone say alcohol?” Erwin asked as he approached, bringing a few of Eren’s favorite toys.

“Hello Commander, it’s nice to see you.” Mikasa responded politely. “I brought some beer if you wanted any.”

“It’s okay to call me Erwin outside of the job, Mikasa. And I’ll take one, thank you.” He answered.

She nodded, opening up a cooler and grabbing a bottle to hand to him. They were all lounging on lawn chairs as they watched the shifters play.

“I never thought Eren and Annie would get along so well.” Erwin murmured, taking a sip from the beer.

“It surprised the hell out of me when they first met, considering how Ymir treated him.” Levi said, taking the bottle from him and drinking from it.

“Like I said, Ymir doesn’t get along with anyone except for Krista. I just wanted to see how Eren would react, to be honest.” Mikasa stated, shrugging.

“Krista told me she was impressed.” Levi said, handing the bottle back over to Erwin.

“She sees the same potential in him that Hanji and I do. He’ll make a fine soldier.” She declared.

Erwin glanced at Levi and they shared a knowing look. “That might be a problem if the Military Police have anything to do with it.” The commander muttered.

“How is that going, by the way? After what happened at the base…” she asked.

“We’re still looking into it. So far they’re playing dumb, but I’m building up a case against them with Hanji’s help. By the way, what are we going to do about Kirstein?” Erwin answered her, turning to Levi with an expectant look.

The captain’s eyes narrowed as he grit his teeth. “He was out of line.” He growled.

“But he technically _did_ hide Eren away from the Military Police and protected him from them.”

“Then he molested my dog.”

“He _made out with_ Eren. There’s a difference.”

“He took advantage of him. Eren was in Heat and Kirstein knew it.”

Mikasa watched with mild amusement as the two discussed the issue. She had a feeling this wasn’t the first time this conversation had come up. However, she had to smile. At least they were talking again.

“I’ll reprimand him.” Erwin finally stated in his commanding tone. “But we’ll have to watch the two of them. And next time Eren goes in Heat, we’ll have to keep him at home.”

Levi nodded in agreement and noticed Mikasa’s small smile. “What?”

“You all sound like a family now. It’s nice.”

Levi scowled at her, while Erwin gave a genuine smile, linking his fingers with Levi’s. “Oh, we’ve been meaning to make an announcement…” he said, turning to smirk down at his fiancé, who rolled his eyes. “And since Hanji already knows, most everyone else will, soon.” He said and cleared his throat, turning back to Mikasa. “Levi and I are engaged now.”

“Congratulations.” Mikasa said warmly. “I’m sure the captain will make a fine housewife.” She teased.

“Watch yourself, Ackerman.” Levi warned, but with no serious threat behind his words. Erwin laughed loudly beside him.

Eren turned to watch the three humans chatting after hearing Erwin’s laughter, smiling at his family. Maybe Mikasa and Annie would join their family as well.

“Hey, don’t get distracted.” Annie told him. He turned and felt her lips on his cheek, briefly, lightly, but there all the same before she darted away. She gave him a coy look, getting back into her fighting stance.

Eren yipped, excitedly wagging his tail as he jumped forward to playfully swat at her. They were mock fighting while their owners chatted, a pseudo courtship and slight competition to see who could outdo the other. So far, Annie was winning. Eren didn’t really know how to fight unless it was for survival, but she was obviously trained for any situation.

She was able to lay him flat on his back multiple times, and he could tell she was trying to teach him her moves, because she would help him up and do it again, without much force or malice behind her actions. Once he felt familiar enough with it, he tried it.

“No, like this.” She showed him the technique fully, slowly going though each step. After a few more tries, he was finally able to get her down on the ground. He turned to his owners, practically howling with delight.

Mikasa, Levi, and Erwin all looked over at the shifters when they heard Eren’s triumphant howl. Annie was sitting up from her position on the ground, a small smile on her usually reserved face, while Eren was prancing around, tail held high.

“She’s showing him some of her tricks. Cute.” Mikasa laughed.

“Like training? I thought they were just playing.” Levi asked, watching as Annie got up and gestured for Eren to do the technique again.

“They are, but she’s incorporating bits of fighting techniques into it. It’s a less formal kind of training.” Mikasa explained.

“Hmmm…” Erwin was watching closely as Eren replicated the move, laying Annie on her back again. Levi recognized that look in the commander’s eye. Mikasa caught the look as well, and gave Levi a knowing glance.

“Good job, Eren!” Mikasa congratulated him. She glanced at Levi again.

“Good boy!” He called after a moment of hesitation.

“Yes, well done.” Erwin murmured. He turned to Levi. “He’ll definitely make a fine soldier.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: Yay play date! Yes, I took more moments from canon, such as Annie subtly teaching Eren her special move. I’d like to thank everyone who has given kudos and commented, you guys rock! I’ll try to update sooner next time, but no promises.


	12. Meet Me in the Pits

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Levi, Erwin, and Eren are faced with a choice that could end it all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: Hajime Isayama owns Attack on Titan.
> 
> I just realized I skipped the little info paragraphs in the last two chapters. Woops.

“Okay, so the Captain is a bit stern and sometimes reserved, but not heartless.” Armin was explaining to Eren. They were back at the base, and Armin was attempting to teach the shifter how to woo his owner. “Obviously, the commander found a way into his heart, and I think you’re close as well.”

“He doesn’t like being intimate.” Eren stated bluntly.

Armin’s cheeks tinted red and he took a breath to think of a response. “Yes, well. Yes.” He cleared his throat and continued. “I uh…Mikasa, why am I doing this again?” he asked the soldier next to him.

“Because you’re the genius.” She answered. After he gave her a helpless look, she elaborated. “And you’re sensitive. You’re good at reading people and situations.” She shrugged. “I figured you would be the best choice.”

“Why not Jean, though? He’s the Survey Corps’ heartthrob.” Armin mumbled. Eren was nuzzling his hand when he paused, jerking back.

“I don’t think that would be a good idea right now. Besides, you know he’s not good with animals.” Mikasa said sharply.

Armin bit his lip, mumbling an apology to Eren for bringing up the other soldier. Per Levi’s orders, and after a stern talking-to by Erwin, Jean and Eren weren’t allowed anywhere near each other. Kirstein grumbled that this treatment wasn’t fair, seeing as he prevented the Military Police from nabbing the shifter, but he didn’t try to fight it. According to Erwin, the soldier thoroughly understood the implications of his actions and why what he did was wrong. He offered to make a formal apology to Eren himself, but Levi nearly hissed at the idea. Erwin only chuckled at his fiancé’s obvious protectiveness.

“Well, I think you just need to be open and honest.” Armin continued after a moment, scratching Eren’s head. “The Captain isn’t very good at picking up on subtle signals, apparently. So you have to tell him how you feel, and what you want. Otherwise he won’t get it, or he’ll be able to deny it forever.”

Eren nodded in understanding. “I already told him I liked him, and I wanted to mate with him.”

Armin blinked a few times. “And what did he say?” he asked cautiously.

“He was hesitant, said we could try, but he wanted it to be my decision on who I mate with.” Eren answered.

“Well, that’s a good first step. Have you talked to him about his relationship with the commander?” Armin asked again.

“Yes. We’re all a family.” The dog stated with a grin and wagging tail.

“Ummm…”

“He means he understands their relationship.” Mikasa said in response to Armin’s confused look.

“Then…” Armin glanced between them, looking unsure. “But aren’t the Captain and the Commander engaged now?” he whispered.

Eren cocked his head to the side, ears up.

“Yes. It’s a bit complicated, but I think it could work. Eren just needs to learn the social aspects of romance.”

“I, uh…I’m not very good at that.”

“Nonsense,” Mikasa scoffed. “A lot of soldiers fancy you. Didn’t you know that?”

“M-Me?” he squeaked, eyes wide.

She sighed. “Looks like it’s just natural charm. Maybe Krista will know what to do.” She mumbled. “Come on, Eren. We’ve bothered Armin enough for today.” She inclined her head and Eren jumped forward, skipping after her.

Armin was left to blink, wide-eyed, as he thought over her words.

***

Erwin sat at his desk, glaring at the papers in his hand. His elbow ached from resting on the hard wood for so long and supporting the weight of his chin, but he refused to move until the words on the page changed…or he figured out _how_ to change them.

_The dog shifter, Eren Jaeger, is wanted for two counts of murder and one count of aggravated assault against three Military Police officers who were responding to a break-in at Captain Ackerman’s home. The Captain is also under suspicion of treason and wanted for questioning, in order to investigate the reason for the attack. Failure to hand over the shifter warrants treason, and if Captain Ackerman does not come in for questioning, he will be officially charged with being an accomplice to murder and held under trial for acts of treason._

Commander Nile Dok personally handed Erwin the missive, with a grave expression on his usually stern face. He made a short speech about how he hoped Erwin would make the right choice here and hand them both over. He added that this was nothing personal, but if there appeared to be a conflict of interest, he would gladly step in.

A light knock on the door had him finally looking up from the paper. Levi stepped inside, closing the door behind him.

“I need you to take Eren and run.” Erwin stated before his fiancé could speak. His eyes were hard, body still tense and stiff.

“Excuse me?” Levi spluttered, pausing as he came forward.

They stared at each other for a few moments, before Erwin lifted the papers. Levi took them cautiously, eyeing Erwin’s fierce expression.

“So this is their response?” the captain muttered after reading over the arrest form.

“You both need to get out of here until I can figure out what to do.”

“I’m not going anywhere, and you know it.”

“I’m not _asking_ you, I’m _ordering_ you—,” Erwin said in his commanding tone but was cut off when Levi spoke again.

“If we run, there will be no going back. You know that. There’s no point trying to escape. We need to expose them.”

For once Erwin looked confused. “What are you talking about?”

“It’s the fighting pits!” Levi leaned forward on Erwin’s desk. “They want Eren for Underground dog fighting, Hanji told me. They know his history, and they want to use that before putting him down. We just have to gain evidence.”

Erwin considered this, and Levi could practically see the gears winding and clicking in his brain.

“Fine. I have an idea.”

***

_Dog fighting is illegal, but it still happens in Underground rings. Shifters are prized fighters, able to outsmart full dogs, but only if they have the will to fight. Some pet owners only buy and breed shifters for the fighting pits, forcing them to fight and earn wages, treating them as slaves. There are heavy fines and jail sentences for anyone caught involved in dog fighting activities, but it does not deter certain individuals._

_Kenny ‘The Ripper’ Ackerman is known among the Underground dog fighting rings for breeding the most vicious fighters. He has a ruthless reputation and is in good with the Military Police—being a member of a special anti-shifter squad. Therefore, he has escaped punishment for his crimes against shifters, despite various attempts at sentencing him._

***

“The officers that were at your home belonged to Kenny’s anti-shifter squad, they were sent to capture Eren so Kenny could put him in the ring.” Erwin explained, bringing up the files of the dead men.

“So you want to just _let_ them win?” Levi asked, still hesitant about the commander’s idea. Hanji stood to the side, a hand to their chin.

“Essentially, yes. It’s the only way we can gather evidence against them.”

“But people have tried that before and it didn’t work. Besides, then I’ll get arrested too.”

“You’ll be an undercover agent, as will Eren. I’ll speak with Commander Pixis of the Garrison to see if he can spare some soldiers to go with you for protection and to act as witnesses. We’ll bring the information to General Zackley and see where it goes from there.”

“I’m sure they both already know what’s going on, but don’t care enough to stop it. What makes you think they’ll finally shut it down just to save some mangy mutt and a grumpy captain?” Levi muttered.

“Because if word gets out to the public, they’ll have an army of Shifter’s Rights Activists to deal with.” Hanji spoke up. “Riots, petitions, maybe even all-out war. Zackley can’t ignore that.”

“But why hasn’t that already been happening?” Levi questioned.

“They simply don’t know the degree to which this is happening. If you present the evidence to Zackley and the public, he’ll be forced to show his hand. If he’s with the Military Police, we may have a coup on our hands. Shifter politics is getting brutal. A lot of humans don’t believe they deserve the same rights, and should be treated like animals or freaks of nature. There have been hate crimes, and with the recent wild attacks, this could be the spark that ignites the fire.” Hanji told them.

“So I’d rather be the one in control of the flames.” Erwin stated. “Take Eren to Kenny and ask to join the fighting ring. We just need to document one fight.”

“It’s too dangerous. Eren is still fucked up from those wilds. He’s just a _kid_.” Levi exclaimed.

“Would you prefer to send in Ymir, or Annie?” Erwin asked him pointedly, raising his eyebrows. “We can’t let them know what kind of fighters we have, or they’ll be going after the entire Scout Regiment.”

“Eren has the raw experience and lethalness they’re looking for. As long as we monitor the fight and have the right witnesses, it should be fine.” Hanji added. Levi was looking between them both with a frantic, helpless expression. “I know you’re just looking out for him, and that’s a good thing, but if we don’t act now they’ll take him away and probably force him to fight anyway. They might torture him if he doesn’t cooperate, or chain him up and let other dogs and shifters tear at him until there’s nothing left. They’ll put him down, one way or the other, if we don’t stop them first.”

Levi sighed, rubbing his face. “I don’t like it.” He grumbled.

“Neither do I. The thought of actively allowing a shifter to fight in those pits is appalling, but it has to be done to make it end.” Hanji replied.

“But you’re not the one in danger.” Levi said with an edge. “I’m going to ask Eren, and it will be _his_ decision. If he doesn’t want to fight, we’ll have to think of something else. I won’t allow either of you to guilt-trip him into doing this, or trick him. It’s _his_ choice.”

Erwin and Hanji measured the ferocious expression on his face and nodded, both secretly pleased with his progress.

“Of course, I would never make this kind of decision for someone else.” Hanji said with a flair of dramatics.

“Yes, we’ll discuss it with him first and see what he saws.” Erwin said. When Levi nodded, the commander gave him a light smile.

***

Eren was excited to see both Erwin _and_ Hanji over at the house. He was practically running around, yipping happily, and didn’t settle down until they told him they had something to discuss. At first he thought it had something to do with his Heat, and a sad, worried expression replaced his happy grin. But then they mentioned the fighting pits.

“I’ll do it.”

Levi blinked, mouth agape. Hanji and Erwin didn’t look too surprised with his outburst, however. They barely started to explain everything before he decided to agree.

“Wait, do you understand what we’re asking you to do?” his owner asked, eyes big. Eren could smell the fear wafting off of him, and moved closer for reassurance.

“You want me to help. By fighting in the pits, I can stop those guys from coming after us, right?”

“Yes…” Levi agreed hesitantly. “But it’s dangerous, and they may try to trap us. They were coming after you specifically to either put you down or make you fight. You’ll get hurt.” Not ‘you _may_ get hurt’ or ‘it _could_ be dangerous’ but without a doubt this would be a painful experience for them all, Eren especially.

Eren nodded. He knew the dangers and the risks he was putting himself through, but he also knew that he couldn’t bear to be away from his owner and risk getting him hurt because of him.

The shifter leaned forward, slowly placing a hand on Levi’s cheek. “I want to do this, I want to help you.” He whispered, holding back on saying ‘I want to protect you’ because he knew his owner would feel weird about it. He was starting to understand Levi a little more each day. With some help, of course.

Levi sighed again and looked away, still unhappy. “I was really hoping you’d say no.”

“I’m not worried or afraid. I know you’ll keep me safe.” Eren smiled at him, tail wagging slightly.

Erwin and Hanji were watching the exchange carefully, expressions tense as they waited for Levi’s final reaction. They glanced at each other as the shifter and owner talked it over. This was their best chance, and they all knew it.

“Alright then, let’s do this.” Levi finally agreed with a grim expression.

***

“Yo! If it isn’t Little Levi!” Kenny greeted when he opened the door, daring to reach out and ruffle Levi’s hair. Eren couldn’t stop himself from growling and moving closer in warning. “And this must be the big bad Jaeger! Are you the shifter that’s been killing everyone?” he asked cheerfully.

“I want him to fight in the pits.” Levi declared, steering the conversation away from Eren’s past.

“Well, well…” Kenny said, looking the shifter over. “I’d be lying if I said I never wanted this guy in one of my rings. Sorry about the little intrusion incident, by the way.” He waved his hand in light dismissal.

“You know you could’ve just _asked_ , uncle.” Levi said. Pretending to be skeevy made his skin crawl, but it was all for the sake of their grand scheme.

“You Survey Corps dipshits are too hoighty toighty for the pits, always trying to shut us down, I never thought you’d actually agree.” Kenny shrugged.

“Well now you know we’re not as angelic as you’d think.” The captain mumbled. Kenny barked out a laugh, slapping him on the back. Eren started growling again out of instinct.

“He’s mighty protective of you, isn’t he? That’s good. He’ll make a decent fighter, I’ll bet.”

Levi held back the snarky ‘You already knew he was, that’s why you had your thugs sneak into my house to steal him from me’ remark. Instead, he scowled.

“Fine, fine, I’ll get a match lined up for him.” Kenny said, noting his nephew’s irritation. “By the way,” he added off-handedly, “I’ve been getting a lot of requests for this Rogue Shifter everyone’s been talking about, so this is a rather nice opportunity.”

Levi narrowed his eyes at the cunning grin his uncle gave him, looking for any signs of a trap. Something was up. Kenny was smart, he knew better than to look a gift horse in the mouth.

“Just tell me when and where.” He stated, turning to leave.

“Oh, I think I have the perfect match in mind. I’ll let you know when I sort out all the gritty details.” Kenny smiled even wider, waving as he watched them leave. Levi didn’t trust the look on his face.

***

It wasn’t long until Levi received a call from his uncle with the time and date of Eren’s first match. It was coming up quick, so he barely had time to coordinate with Erwin and Pixis to get everyone lined up. Kenny refused to say who Eren’s opponent would be, calling it a surprise, something to draw in a big crowd. Levi didn’t like it, but it was the only chance they had.

Once everyone was in position, with a few Garrison and Survey Corps members scattered throughout the crowd, Levi and Eren made their way to the ring.

“Tonight, we have a very special event for you fine folks!” Kenny announced, getting the crowd’s attention. “You’ve all been asking for him and waiting to see the Rogue Shifter throw down in my pits, and tonight is your lucky night!” the crowd roared in appreciation. “And his opponent? Well, let’s just say we have a good show for you tonight.” Kenny winked.

Levi was still wary about letting this happen, but Eren was determined to follow through. He was pumped, eyes turning yellow as he stretched before stepping into the ring. The audience cheered, and bets were starting to be placed. He may have looked a bit young and scrawny, but tales of his deeds were already known among the Underground.

Vicious howls were heard from the other side of the ring, where Eren’s opponent was being wrestled into the holding cage. Levi watched, body tensing, as Kenny sidled up to him. “Normally, the shifters start off in human form and eventually are made to transform in the middle of the fight, when things are getting good.” Kenny whispered in Levi’s ear. The cage shook. “Tonight’s gonna be real special, alright.” He added as the cage opened, and a burly blond man came barreling out to the center of the ring. Levi’s heart rammed against his chest as his breathing picked up. “Y’see, we managed to snag a _wild_.” Kenny sneered.

Eren’s opponent stopped in the middle of the ring, facing off against him. He was shirtless, which made the large scar on his left shoulder pretty hard to miss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: Dun, dun, dun! I swear there’s an actual plot to this, and I’m not just making it up as I go along.
> 
> No I’m kidding I’m totally making it up as I go along.


	13. Fight Club

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eren and the wild husky shifter battle it out in the fighting ring while Levi watches on nervously.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: The first rule of Fight Club is we don’t talk about Fight Club. The second rule is we don’t claim ownership of Attack on Titan or the idea of dog shifter AUs.
> 
> I couldn’t help it with the Fight Club references. Also sorry for the long wait between updates.

The crowd was roaring, but all Eren could hear was the sound of his own breath as it came out of him, slow and steady as he focused. The scent in the air was familiar, as well as the color of his opponent’s hair, even though he never saw it in human form before. Of course, the scar made it obvious who he was fighting.

This was a rematch, but only a few people in the room knew about their first fight. Eren was determined to turn the fight to his favor, not only for the plan to succeed, but also for revenge. Besides, this time it was just the blond. He didn’t see the Great Dane or any human version of him anywhere, unless Kenny was hiding him for yet another surprise. The shifter had a feeling the pair likely went everywhere together, one way or the other, so he kept his guard up.

His yellow eyes focused in on his opponent, who looked like a bull about to charge. He was built like one, at least, even in human form. All muscles and bulk, probably double Eren’s weight, and taller too. The dog shifter remembered feeling those sharp teeth digging into his neck and trying to rip his throat open, remembered the scent of fear and aggression in the air as they fought, rolling around in the grass as they gnawed on each other’s flesh.

This time would be different. Bone to bone, skin to skin, they would fight with their human flesh—at least until they were forced to shift. Eren’s sensitive ears picked up on Kenny’s whispers to his owner, despite the obnoxious noise from the crowd around them. Levi’s rising anxiety only made his hackles raise higher as a deep growl rumbled in the back of his throat.

Putting up his arms into a defensive position in front of him, hands curled into fists, he set his feet in a steady stance and thought back to when he was younger.

_Flailing limbs and gnashing teeth. Fear, anger, heart racing, blood. You have to fight to survive. You have to live. Claw with fangs and nails, strike anywhere, hard and fast. Screaming, high-pitched, deep, moaning. Get out, run as fast as you can and never look back. Fight._

“FIGHT!” The call rang out, and before the echo dissipated in the air, the two fighters met in the center of the ring with colliding fists and vicious snarls. Eren took the force of his opponent’s punch, letting instinct take over as his head turned to the side, allowing the blow to keep moving forward, taking his enemy’s arm with it. Eren’s own fist connected with his foe’s jaw and was sliding just as well, their punches glancing off of each other’s skin.

In unison, they jumped back and began circling, jabbing forward whenever an opening appeared, ducking behind their fists and weaving around punches in order to dodge. Eren raced forward and struck outward, and his opponent side-stepped, momentarily losing his balance as he evaded a flying fist. The shifter used this opportunity and the momentum to swing his leg around, catching the big blond in the ribcage with his shin.

He ignored the commentary and the cheers from the crowds, tuned out any conversations except when he heard Levi’s voice. It had a slight vibration to it, subtle yet familiar to Eren in a sad way. It was the same vibration in his voice when he was trying to stop him during his Heat, when he was calling for him as the Military Police attacked them in their own home.

Shaking the thoughts from his mind, he focused on the fight before he lost the small advantage he had gained. The blond Husky shifter was stumbling back, trying to regain his footing to block or pose a counterstrike, and Eren had to be ready for both. He surged forward after his opponent, fist poised to strike, ready to launch at his signal once he got within range.

His opponent threw his hands up to block his face, and Eren’s knuckles crunched against the bone of his hand, the sickening sound eliciting a wild cry from the crowd. Eren carried on, pushing until the blond was falling backward over his own feet and landing on the ground, Eren falling on top of him purposefully. With the wind knocked out of him, the wild was momentarily dazed, allowing Eren to punch at his defenses until they gave way.

He was in a fervor now, but still he remembered the few bouts of training with Mikasa, Ymir, and Krista. This was no exercise or military-style fight, though. This was a bloody, knock-down, drag-out _war_ , and he was going to _win_. Eren held on to his position by squeezing his thighs around the wild shifter’s middle, further crushing his ribs together, as he landed punch after punch to his opponent’s arms. He was hoping to weaken the shifter both defensively and offensively.

Being a wild, though, meant his opponent was unpredictable and more in touch with his animalistic nature, without the restraint of reason or hesitation of logic. Suddenly the blond threw his arms off to either side, his head coming up through the middle of them with his teeth bared while his whole body moved forward. Eren toppled over, feeling those teeth latch onto his arm and biting down. One of the shifter’s hands clamped around his arm to hold it between his fangs, while the other searched for a new way to shift the balance of the fight.

Eren used his legs to kick at the shifter’s stomach and chest, anywhere he could reach with his heel, until finally he kicked upward high enough to reach the shifter’s jaw, dislodging his mouth from around Eren’s arm as his head was thrown back. The wild shifter let out a frustrated roar, scrabbling at Eren’s body to gain another hold.

So yet again they were rolling around on the ground, each attempting to gain the upper hand, nails digging into skin, teeth ripping into flesh, toes pressing against internal organs.

“Let’s make things interesting!”

As Eren analyzed the words and whose voice they belonged to, he felt something pierce the skin at his neck and howled. The wild shifter did the same, and soon Eren felt his body begin to crack and change, transforming into his dog form as fur covered his body and his nails elongated to claws. He saw the wild transforming as well, and after a moment of panting as they adjusted to the change brought about by their shifting, they went at it again.

***

Levi watched with both fear and mild fascination as Eren faced off against the wild shifter in the fighting ring. His heart was in his throat, cutting off any cries of apprehension. Eren didn’t need to hear them, he needed to focus on the fight.

So far, he was doing well. He had the blond shifter on the defensive, able to hold his own fairly well when there was only one enemy to fight. But Levi knew his wounds were still healing, and were susceptible to damage during a fight like this.

Kenny was hooting and laughing raucously beside him, slapping him on the shoulder. The crowd nudged and leaned forward against the barricades around the ring, shouting and waving their arms. They looked like animals to Levi, more barbaric than the ones in the ring.

“How do you like it so far, Little Levi?” Kenny yelled in his ear over the roars of the crowd.

“Stop calling me that!” Levi shouted back, annoyed with the childhood nickname he had long grown out of, if not in stature, at least in patience. His uncle just laughed more and squeezed his shoulder tightly.

“Your dog is doing well, I’m glad you brought him to me,” Kenny yelled again.

“Where the hell did you even get a wild in the first place?” Levi asked. He was curious to know whether the case of the wild attacks and the Military Police operations were the same after all. Surely it couldn’t be a coincidence that the very same wild that attacked Eren right after the Military Police did was now in the Underground fighting pits, once again attempting to tear out the other shifter’s throat.

“We caught him in the city, trying to scare a little old lady out of her lunch,” Kenny answered. “My squad was keeping up with the recent wild attacks and planned on nabbing at least one of them for the pits. This one is a good fighter.”

_‘So they’re unrelated after all,’_ Levi noted. He searched the crowd for signs of the Garrison soldiers in disguise, waiting for the right moment to pull the rug out from under his uncle’s feet and end this monstrosity once and for all. Eren was able to survive so far, but Levi didn’t want to risk too much in this gamble.

The scene was beginning to play out very similar to the first attack, with Eren and the blond wild shifter struggling against each other on the ground, limbs locked as they attempted to punch or kick each other wherever possible. Levi wasn’t sure who would gain the upper hand at this point, but he didn’t have to wait long before Kenny pulled another trick out of his sleeve.

“Let’s make things interesting!” he shouted and signaled to men on either side of the ring, who shot darts at the fighters.

Levi let out a small gasp before realizing they were shots meant to trigger the shifter transformation. He was vaguely wondering how Kenny was planning on getting the fighters to transform during their fight.

“Sometimes we gotta urge them into the shift, other times it comes naturally. Things were getting a bit boring as they were,” Kenny shrugged, as if seeing two men beating the shit out of each other in human form wasn’t enough, now they had to watch two dogs rip each other to shreds.

The crowd, however, seemed to enjoy the change. They yelled louder, calling for more bets to be placed, cheering on their chosen winner or crying out for more bloodshed. Levi’s nose wrinkled up in disgust at the filth all around him, on both physical and emotional levels. Now fur was flying instead of fists, and teeth were the main weapons being used.

His eyes grew frantic as he searched the crowds, knowing it was now or never to put this all to an end and save Eren before it was too late.

***

_Little is known about wild shifters. Some sources say they are closer to animals—wild animals—than humans, and therefore can be dangerous or dim-witted. Others say they simply resist modern lifestyles and wish to live in a more natural habitat to bond more with their animal side. Most Shifters’ Rights Activists believe that wild shifters should have the same rights and protections as domesticated shifters, or in the very least the same rights as wild animals. There are a few nature preserves set up to shelter wild shifters who flee the cities, where they live with other animals in relative peace._

***

Eren snarled, rushing forward to meet the husky head on as they both jumped up to claw at each other. The husky attempted to stand on his back to make him crumble and fall, but he quickly slid out from beneath his paws and snapped his teeth within inches of the husky’s face. His opponent whirled around to avoid his sharp fangs.

The dogs had their tails and ears raised aggressively, circling each other once again to look for new openings. Blood was already in the air from their fists and feet, and the adrenaline of the fight had them frothing at the mouth. Eren was beginning to lose himself in the energy from the crowd and intensity of his opponent. His tongue was lolling out of his mouth, desperate for air to fill his lungs, legs shaking from the fight and excitement.

The husky appeared to have more stamina, as it didn’t take long for him to recover and once again press the attack. Eren was now forced to defend himself, dodging teeth and claw swipes or darting to the side when the husky tried to pounce on him. He snapped his teeth in warning, striking out with his claws to catch the dog across the face, leaving yet another scar.

The husky snarled, launching himself on top of Eren, jaws seeking his neck once again to reopen the wounds. Eren’s back legs sliced at the other dog’s stomach in an attempt to get him off. He heard the husky snarling in his ear, felt the dirt and small stones digging into his back and matting his fur, the full weight of the other dog slowly beginning to crush him.

His arm was already weak from the first attack, and still was not fully healed. With the punching and scrabbling around during the fight, it only made things worse. A throbbing ache, though dull, was in the background of Eren’s mind while he focused on the fight and ignored all of his injuries.

He was so focused, in fact, that he nearly missed all of the commotion going on outside of the ring. Eren heard shouts, and the aggression—as well as fear—in the air grew even more intense. The husky must have felt it too, because he paused his attempts to gnaw Eren’s neck off to lift his head, scanning the area.

Apparently a fight had broken out amongst the humans. Eren scrambled out from under his opponent, desperately searching for his owner. Levi was nowhere to be found—although, being as short as he was, it was always hard to find him in a crowd. The shifter grew nervous, but he didn’t have the energy to transform just yet, and he was too nervous to adjust all of his bones back into their proper place anyway.

He only had a few seconds to panic before the husky was nudging him. At first, Eren thought he wanted to continue the fight, so he whirled around with teeth bared and a steady growl in his throat. But the husky’s expression was different from when they were fighting, more intelligent and grim. He huffed, jerking his head in the direction of an opening out of the ring.

Confused, yet with little time to think, Eren followed his enemy out of the ring and into the chaos outside.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: I hope you enjoyed seeing things from Eren’s perspective! I thought it would be more fitting for the fight scenes, at least. Also, since this is quickly becoming a political commentary on animal rights and dog fighting, this chapter and the Underground fighting pits are heavily based on pit bull fighting and dog fighting in general. I obviously don’t support this method of entertainment, and I encourage anyone interested to find out more and educate yourselves on this topic, since dogs are only as dangerous as they are bred and trained to be.


	14. Pack Mentality

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everybody is kung-fu fighting...those shifters are fast as lightning!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I don’t own Attack on Titan or dog AUs.

It was now or never. Levi searched the masses for members of the Survey Corps and locked eyes with Krista. Ymir was right beside her, hovering protectively with a mean look on her face. The Captain knew he could count on the shifter to come in handy if needed. While he was apprehensive about bringing another shifter to this place at first, everyone agreed it would be a good idea in case things got rough.

He knew other soldiers of his regiment were scattered throughout the crowd, as well as Pixis’s soldiers. All they needed was the signal to take action.

“Yeah!” Kenny hollered beside him, pumping his fist in the air as he watched the match. “This is one of the best fights of the season. Of course, I knew Jaeger would deliver,” he told his nephew.

“Is that why you kept trying to steal him from me?” Levi asked, turning to face his uncle. His fists were clenched at his side, and his face held a no-nonsense expression.

His uncle must have noticed the change, because he grinned. “Hey, I apologized, didn’t I? Regardless, I think it works out better this way, don’t you?”

“No, I don’t,” Levi deadpanned. “Let’s drop the bullshit, Kenny. We both know why I’m here and why I even agreed to this fight. You’re under arrest for participation in illegal dog fighting, kidnapping, and attempted murder.”

Kenny just laughed at his nephew, throwing his arms out wide. “What are you going to do, Little Levi? Arrest me in the middle of my fighting pits? You’re good, I’ll give you that, but you can’t take down everyone in this arena and you know it.”

Several of Kenny’s men turned their attention from the match in the ring to the standoff between the Captain and the dogfighter. Out of the corner of his eye, Levi noticed his soldiers closing in all around them.

“Good thing I didn’t come alone, then.”

It was all the warning they got before an all-out battle began on the outskirts of the ring. Levi whirled around to kick his uncle in the ribs, knocking the wind from him as he stumbled to the side. Then chaos erupted as Kenny’s men surged forward while Garrison and Survey Corps members rushed in.

Punches were thrown and fights broke out all around the ring. No one was watching the shifters battle anymore. The area grew louder with shouts and grunts from humans as the sound of skin hitting skin resounded off the walls.

Levi let out a grunt as a fist collided with his cheek before returning the favor. Kenny’s men were focused on him, with one after the other attempting to land a punch or grapple with the shorter man. Levi dodged one fist to throw out a kick, then whirled and crouched to deliver a right hook to his closest opponent. It reminded him of when he was younger, when this kind of fight took place every day, and he had to win in order to survive.

But he couldn’t let himself dwell on his past when his future was right in front of him. After clearing a space by knocking out some of his uncle’s goons, he headed toward the ring.

“Eren!” he called out, pushing past the crowd. But the ring was empty, and the shifter was nowhere to be found. Panic began rising in his chest and he froze.

“I knew you’d pull something like this, you little punk,” his uncle growled out behind him. “But I don’t plan on losing!”

Levi whirled around only to be roughly shoved back against the barricade. His knees faltered and he slid against the ringside wall, gripping the top to hold himself steady as he glared up at Kenny from beneath his bangs.

“What have you done with him?” he hissed.

***

Eren kept glancing back to look for his owner among the commotion. There was so much going on, it was hard to tell what was happening. The smells and noises were overwhelming his senses, making him let out a small whine.

The Husky huffed again and indicated for him to follow. They ran down a narrow hallway, away from the madness inside the arena. A tall, lanky man with short, dark brown hair came out from a nearby room and the Husky stopped. The two nodded to each other and Eren knew instantly that this was the Great Dane shifter. The German Shepherd growled, taking a few steps back.

“It’s okay, we’re gonna get you out of here safe,” the man said in a soft voice.

Eren shook his head, continuing to growl and back up. He needed to find Levi, he needed—

The Husky barked in his ear, shoving him forward. Eren turned to snap at him, teeth inches from the other dog’s face.

“Trust us, please! Your friends are outside waiting,” the man told him, pointing down the hall. “If you stay here, Kenny will get you.”

Eren was still wary and sore, wanting nothing more than to see his owner and his friends. But he knew he couldn’t go back into the fray without getting caught up in it. Besides, Erwin and the rest of the Survey Corps were supposed to be out there, along with Pixis and more of the Garrison.

After a moment he moved forward, limping slightly but focusing only on getting out of there and back to his family. The tall shifter strode ahead and the Husky ran alongside Eren as they followed. A pair of double doors stood in their way, and the Great Dane shifter threw them open to reveal a blinding light.

Eren blinked to clear his vision, and saw Annie standing just outside.

***

_Wild shifters often take on a pack hierarchy when living outside of cities. Packs are essentially families, and each member is fiercely protective of each other. They may choose to only mate with members of their pack, creating a larger family, and sometimes meet up with other packs to mate. There have also been cases of lone wilds who avoid packs, preferring to live on their own. When members of a pack leave to roam alone or join a new community, remnants of the bond may remain. Some stay friends and keep in contact._

***

“You’re never gonna see that mangy mutt again!” Kenny yelled, rearing his arm back to deliver a punch.

Levi pushed off from the barricade, ducking under his uncle’s punch and bringing his own fist up to hit him square in the jaw, knocking the man backwards.

“Get him out of my face,” Levi growled as some soldiers swarmed in. They picked up the dogfighter and dragged him away.

“Captain, we can’t find Eren!” Krista said as she approached, the concern obvious in her voice and expression. Ymir was close by her, narrowed eyes scanning the room as she towered over most of the others.

“Kenny’s men might have taken him as soon as we made our move. Spread out and search the arena. I’ll tell Erwin and Pixis to get a search party out,” Levi commanded.

“Yes, sir!” Krista replied with a salute and disappeared into the crowd.

Several uniformed Garrison and Survey Corps soldiers were already arresting the dogfighting enthusiasts who couldn’t run away once the fighting broke out. A few scuffles were still taking place, but things appeared to be under control for now.

Levi stormed out of the arena and headed straight for his fiancé. “We can’t find Eren, his opponent was one of the wild shifters who attacked him the other day, and they both disappeared as soon as all hell broke loose in there.”

“Annie and Mikasa are already on it, don’t worry,” Erwin said, reaching out to wipe away the blood on Levi’s cheek. “You got a bit roughed up in there,” he murmured softly.

Levi swatted the other man’s hand away. “I’m fine, I just want to get Eren out of here. Where are they?”

Erwin hid a smile behind his hand and gestured around the side of the building. “At the back. Come on.”

Levi didn’t wait for the Commander as he darted ahead.

“Pixis, I assume you can take care of Kenny and the rest of this rabble?” Erwin asked over his shoulder.

The older man nodded. “We’ll take him straight to the General. Once you get Eren, meet up with us there,” he stated.

Erwin nodded and followed the short Captain to the back of the building.

***

Eren was confused when he saw Annie standing there with Mikasa right beside her. Their expressions were firm, with Mikasa breathing a sigh of relief as soon as she saw the German Shepherd.

“Good, you’re alright. Levi must be looking for you,” she said, kneeling down in front of him. Glancing up at the tall shifter, she added, “Thanks for helping us, Bert.”

The man ducked his head and gave a small nod. Eren looked from him to Mikasa, tilting his head to the side curiously. The Husky shifted back into human form, rolling his shoulders and shaking out his limbs. He approached Annie, who tucked a piece of hair behind her ear.

“Can you transform back? How injured are you?” Mikasa asked, checking over Eren’s wounds. She gently lifted one foreleg to examine his injury, then tilted his chin up to look at his neck.

Eren woofed at her, glancing at the wilds who were speaking with Annie.

Mikasa sighed. “They were part of the pack Annie ran with when she was a wild. They’re friends, I promise.”

Eren let out a doubtful sound, but before Mikasa could say any more, Eren’s ears perked up. Levi rounded the corner and slid to a halt in front of the group. He eyed the wilds warily, giving Mikasa a slightly questioning look.

Eren yipped, running at his owner and jumping up, almost knocking Levi over. “Hey there, I’m glad I found you,” Levi chuckled as he ruffled Eren’s furry head.

The Husky shifter approached them and Levi’s eyes narrowed. “Sorry,” the shifter said in a deep, gruff voice.

Eren turned to the other shifter and began to change into his human form, his bones shifting into place as they rearranged themselves. Once he was on two legs again, he stood close to Levi protectively. “For what?”

“We thought you were a lone wild who wandered into our territory, that’s why we attacked that day,” the Husky shifter explained. “But Annie set us straight.”

“This is Reiner,” Annie stepped forward, tilting her head in the other blonde’s direction. “And that’s Bertholt,” she gestured to the tall Great Dane shifter.

“I’m Eren…Jaeger,” the German Shepherd shifter said, glancing at Levi. “This is my owner, Captain Levi.”

Reiner gave a curt nod to the Captain, then looked at Eren. “You’re the rogue we’ve been hearing about,” stated.

“And you’re the wilds that have been roaming around town scaring people,” Levi replied coldly. “Kenny said he captured you to use in the fighting pits.”

The big blond nodded. “Bert got away and found Annie, told her what happened.”

Levi turned to Mikasa. “And why didn’t you tell _me_?”

The girl shrugged. “I didn’t expect them to end up in a ring together. Besides, I didn’t know how you’d react if you knew they were the ones who attacked Eren.”

“S-Sorry,” Bert spoke up nervously behind Reiner.

Levi glanced between all of them and then looked back to Eren. “I guess everything’s okay now,” he murmured. “Just be more careful next time,” he told the wilds.

The Husky and Great Dane shifters nodded. “We’re leaving so we don’t get caught again,” Reiner said, then glanced at Annie. “See you around.”

Annie nodded and watched the two leave.

“Are you sure you don’t want to join them?” Mikasa whispered to her.

Annie stepped closer to her owner. “I like it here with you.”

Mikasa smiled and brushed some hair out of the shifter’s face.

“Ackerman,” Levi spoke up. When she turned to look at him, he said, “We need to talk about all of this at some point.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Ah, Eren, there you are!” Erwin exclaimed and scooped the shifter up. Eren let out a yip of surprise and nuzzled Erwin’s face. “Let’s get those wounds checked out, hm?” the Commander smiled and started carrying him away.

“Hey!” Levi called after him. “Did you know about the wilds?”

“Know what?” Erwin asked as he slowed his pace, looking down at Eren’s green eyes to avoid Levi’s harsh gaze.

“Don’t give me that!” Levi growled, getting in front of them.

Erwin finally looked at his fiancé. “I was recently made aware of the situation, yes.”

“And how come everyone knew but me and Eren?”

“That’s my fault, sir. I didn’t tell the Commander until he told us about the plan for the fighting pits,” Mikasa said.

“And by the time she told me, you and Eren were already in position with Kenny at the fighting pits,” Erwin added.

Levi stepped close. “I thought we agreed to communicate better.”

Eren whined, reaching out to the Captain and glancing up at Erwin. “Too much fighting today. Stop,” he pleaded.

Erwin placed a gentle hand on Levi’s cheek, rubbing the soft skin with his thumb. “We’ll talk about it once we’re all home safe, okay? I promise.”

Levi glanced between Eren’s pouting puppy dog face and Erwin’s soft gaze. “Fine.”

“But first, we need to get Eren checked out and shut down the Underground dog fights,” Erwin said, glancing down to smile at the shifter.

Eren smiled back at him and Levi reached up to ruffle the dog’s hair. “You did good, kid.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: Merry Christmas! I got to see all of my dogs and was inspired to update.


	15. One Happy Family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eren, Levi, and Erwin are one big, happy family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I don’t own Attack on Titan or the idea for dog aus.
> 
> Consider this the beginning of Part 2, because this fic is by no means over just yet ;)

It was painfully quiet in the living room as Erwin, Levi, and Eren sat in a circle, looking anywhere but at each other. The Commander was rubbing his hands together, a nervous habit he picked up over the years. Beside him, the shifter had his head lowered, occasionally sending quick glances to his owners. The Captain stared at the ground, his expression hard and jaw clenched.

“Well, at least the Underground Dog Fighting problem is solved,” Erwin finally murmured to break the silence before it drove him insane.

“Yeah,” Levi grumbled, his gaze still fixated on the ground.

“And the issues surrounding Eren and the Military Police are cleared up,” the blond added, looking at his fiancé with big, blue eyes.

Eren’s tail thumped hesitantly against the couch, ears slightly lifting. Erwin was saying good things, which should have made the mood good, but the dog’s owner still felt tense and angry.

“Why am I always the last to know things?” Levi finally asked, his words sharp enough to cut the hopeful expression on Erwin’s face.

“It’s not on purpose. Mikasa was trying to protect—,” the Commander began but Levi cut him off.

“I know what Ackerman was doing. I’m not angry at her or you or anyone else. I’m just…” the Captain clenched his fists.

“You’re just angry,” Erwin finished for him. At the other man’s nod of affirmation, Erwin reached out and placed a hand on Levi’s head, smoothing his hair.

Eren continued glancing between them, waiting.

“You know what we should do?” Erwin said softly after a moment.

Levi finally looked up at him, his features not as stony as before. “What?”

“Get married.”

The shorter man snorted, shaking his head. “We haven’t even had time to plan all of that because of the bullshit we’ve had to deal with.”

“There’s not much to plan. Let’s just go down to the courthouse and make our family official. We can take a vacation anywhere you want,” Erwin told him with a knowing smile.

“What, just…elope? But we can’t just pick up and leave…” Levi said, although his tone of voice indicated that he would very much like to carry out Erwin’s new plan as soon as possible.

“I’m the Commander, I can take a vacation whenever I want. Now that things are finally settled, I think it’s the perfect time to get away and enjoy some much-needed rest.”

Instead of a sour remark, Levi’s lips quirked up into a smirk. “You know, Commander, I think that’s your best plan yet.”

***

Soon they were at the courthouse, where they were just a few days ago when Kenny and the Military Police members who attacked Eren were put on trial. Both cases were swiftly and victoriously closed, with Kenny being sent to jail for life and the Military Police punished for their treason against the Survey Corps. Once the General saw all of the evidence, he understood exactly what was going on.

Animal Rights Activists were ecstatic when the news that the dog fighting pits were finally shut down went viral. Erwin, Levi, Eren, and several others were asked to be interviewed, praised, and talked about among the shifter community. Eren was no longer banned from the shifter café near the park.

As magical as it all sounded, it was not the ending to their lives or story. Life goes on, no matter what, so once the excitement died down it was back to normal. Eren would go back to training and was well on his way to becoming an official member of the Survey Corps.

And in just a few moments, he would belong to a family consisting of himself, Erwin, and Levi.

“Commander Smith and Captain Ackerman? We’re ready for you,” the chapel assistant said with a smile.

Levi and Erwin glanced at each other before getting up and walking hand-in-hand to the chapel. Eren followed, beaming with his tail wagging and ears standing up proud. The assistant scratched his head and he yipped appreciatively.

Erwin and Levi were dressed in their best: Erwin in his ceremonious Commander uniform and Levi in his Captain’s suit. They were able to find a nice outfit for Eren as well, and made sure he knew to be careful so as not to ruin it.

When they arrived at the courthouse, the receptionist had smiled at them while she handed over the marriage license paperwork. They hurriedly filled it out, Levi putting down Smith for his new last name because he was more than willing to throw Ackerman out, along with his past. Then they waited until the chapel and minister were ready to begin the quaint ceremony.

“Can the both of you stand here?” the assistant asked, gesturing to a small archway for them to stand under. Eren was guided to a seat where he could watch, tail thumping happily.

The minister greeted them and stood at the podium. The ceremony was quick, with their vows being short and sweet. Levi promised Erwin to always be his to command, and in turn Erwin promised Levi to always be a trustworthy husband. They said their “I Do”s and kissed. Eren jumped up and barked happily, enveloping them in a hug once the minister pronounced them to be officially married.

“Ready to go home and pack for our honeymoon, Mr. Smith?” Erwin asked once they received their marriage license.

“Of course, Mr. Smith,” Levi replied with a smirk.

“Honeymoon!” Eren barked happily.

Erwin laughed and rubbed the dog’s head. “Yes, you get to come too.”

The shifter jumped and barked excitedly as they left the building, howling out of the window as they drove back home.

Despite his initial protests, Levi was lifted up and carried over the threshold, Erwin laughing the whole time. They collapsed onto the couch and Eren jumped on top of them, the three of them wheezing into the cushions.

“So where are we going, Commander?” Levi asked when they caught their breath. Eren was changing out of his nice clothes into something he could run around in, so they had a moment to discuss plans for the honeymoon.

“How does the country sound, Captain? We can hole up in a little farmhouse or find a quaint bed and breakfast to relax in,” he replied. “Or…a luxury resort near the ocean, maybe?”

“Hmmm…” Levi pretended to think, although they both knew what his answer would be. As much of a clean freak as he was, he would prefer a luxury hotel over a farmhouse any day.

Erwin brought out a brochure he had hidden away in his back pocket. “This place even has play areas for shifters, so Eren can have some fun while we…” the blond lifted his eyebrows as he trailed off.

“You’ve thought of everything, as always,” Levi sighed, looking at the brochure and leaning into his husband. “You didn’t happen to pack our suitcases already, did you?”

“No, I didn’t plan that far ahead. I did, however, check their availability and they happen to have a room for tonight, so if we leave in about an hour…”

“Say no more, let’s get packing.”

***

_A shifter’s right to get married varies across the land. In some areas, it is perfectly acceptable for shifters to marry each other, or even non-shifters. In others, shifters aren’t seen as humans, so aren’t permitted to get a marriage license—which is known as more of a human contract. Since shifters usually indicate committed relationships through mateships, they don’t always bother with marriages. If a human is involved, though, they will sometimes mate as well as get married, so both sides are official._  

***

“Did Bert and Reiner make it over the wall safely?” Mikasa asked as she set a plate of dinner on the table in front of Annie.

The blonde tucked her bangs behind her ear. “Yeah, they’re back in the wild. City life doesn’t suit them.”

“Well I’m grateful they were willing to help us out,” Mikasa replied as she sat down with her own plate.

“Yeah, it was nice seeing them again,” Annie said before taking a bite.

“Do you ever miss being out in the wild?” the dark-haired woman asked as she twirled some spaghetti on her fork, not looking up from her dish.

The shifter chewed thoughtfully, and was quiet for a moment even after she had swallowed. “Sometimes,” she said softly. “I miss the freedom, but it’s tough out there. It takes a lot just to survive each day.”

“I just don’t want you to be unhappy,” Mikasa murmured.

Annie reached across the table to lift her owner’s chin, giving her a small smile. “I’m perfectly happy here, with you.”

Mikasa smiled back at her, and they continued their meal in relative silence. After a while, Mikasa’s phone buzzed, alerting her to a text.

“Oh, looks like the Captain and Commander just eloped,” she said, staring at the phone in her hand.

“Really? I guess they didn’t want a big wedding.”

After a few texts back and forth, Mikasa was smiling at the image the Captain just sent. She turned the phone’s screen to show Annie, who leaned over the table. Eren was sandwiched between Levi and Erwin in a hug, and the new family was grinning at the camera. In the background was a nice view of the ocean during the sunset.

“They look happy,” Annie said with a similar expression on her face. Her tail swept back and forth slowly.

Mikasa looked at her phone again as Annie returned to eating. “Yeah, I’m glad they’re finally able to catch a break. They deserve it after everything that just happened.”

“What do you think the dynamic will be when they get back?” Annie asked.

Mikasa frowned slightly, looking at the shifter. “What do you mean?”

“Well, Eren likes Captain Levi, right? But didn’t Commander Erwin end up servicing him during his last heat?”

“Yes…”

“But Erwin and Levi are in a committed relationship now. Eren would recognize it the same as a mateship between shifters.”

“I think…they have it all figured out,” Mikasa said slowly. “They haven’t said as much, but it feels like they are all in a relationship together, as odd as it sounds.”

“It’s not uncommon for a shifter to fall in love with both owners if they’re a couple,” Annie pointed out.

“True, and I don’t think Eren loves the Captain the same way Levi and Erwin love each other. I mean, he loves him, and I’m sure he still wants Levi to service him, but it’s more like…”

“Puppy love,” the shifter smiled. “It’s not the official term for it, but shifters often form a close bond with their owners that is similar to romantic love, but is more familial. I’m sure he feels the same way about the Commander, even though they’ve been intimate.”

“Regardless, they seem relaxed and look like they’re enjoying themselves. We’ll have to get them a wedding gift.”

“Mhm,” Annie agreed.

The two were silent as they washed the dishes, Mikasa scrubbing away at the stains with a sponge and hot water, while Annie dried them off with a clean towel.

“So I guess you’re the only Ackerman in the Survey Corps now,” Annie stated once they were finished.

“Yeah, Captain Levi didn’t wish to keep his family name. It has too many bad memories for him.”

“What about you?” the blonde asked, ducking her head and clasping her hands behind her back.

“Hm?” Her owner turned to look at her with furrowed eyebrows.

“Would you ever want a different last name?” the shifter asked, moving stray strands of her hair out of her eyes.

“It’s the only thing I have left of my family, Annie. You know that. Even though it holds bad memories for me as well, I could never forsake it.”

Annie nodded, her expression dimming.

“I was wondering, actually…” Mikasa took a step closer and tilted her head to the side. “Do you even have a last name? I mean, do wilds have a family name?”

“Mm, sometimes, though it’s usually the pack name to distinguish from rogues. Mine was Leonhardt. It means Lion Heart because our pack was brave, fierce, and loyal to each other.”

“Lion Heart…that suits you,” Mikasa chuckled as she rubbed Annie’s golden, fluffy ears. “Was every member of your pack a Retriever?”

“My parents were, but others were Labradors or other large hunting breeds. Bert and Reiner were an odd pair when they joined, but they fit in with the rest of the pack well enough.” Annie followed the other woman as she entered the living room and they both plopped down onto the couch.

“How is the pack doing, did they tell you?”

“They’re doing well. Bert caught me up on some of the latest news while Reiner was being held by the Ripper.”

“I’d like to hear about it, if you don’t mind sharing.” Mikasa curled her legs up on the couch, facing the shifter.

Annie mirrored her position. “I don’t mind.”

They spent the night talking about Annie’s pack—mostly Annie talking and Mikasa listening, which was rare since Annie mostly stayed quiet, preferring to listen to the human speak.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: Surprise MikaAnnie for the win! I actually am starting to really like this ship tbh. Also yes, Annie is a Golden Retriever because reasons.


End file.
